Live, Love, Learn
by LobaDeIlladel
Summary: Definitely AU! Ashley & Carmen aren't players, they just crush alot. Yea, right! See what happens when they meet their match. Orgasmic sparks fly. Spashley, Kymen, OC pairing. ATTN: I'm finally done this story. Over 18,500 words on the final chapter. It's been real, ya'll.
1. Rock The Cradle?

**Hey, my fellow fans of fiction. I'm new to writing, but a veteran to reading. I had this idea in my head for a little bit, don't know how long I will make the story, I'm just writing to my heart's desire ^-^**

**Anyways, I'll try to update at least once a week since I'm a full-time student and I work part-time. Hope ya like it. R&R, s'il vous plait. Oh, I don't own SON or any of the songs used. I only own hopes, dreams, and love.**

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Ashley's POV

"_Ooh, baby. I be stuck to you like glue, baby. _

_Wanna spend it all on you, baby. _

_My room is the G-spot. _

_Call me, Mr. Flintstone, I can make your bedrock."_

This bleach-blond sings out of tune while dancing off-beat in front of me. I swear I'm gonna kick Carmen's ass after this. Did she really need me to take care of her conquest's cousin…well, she did do the same for me last month. Naomi, man, that girl was nice with her tongue. *sigh* Where was I…oh, yea, the girl with no rhythm dancing in front of me. This girl looks barely legal…what's her name again?

"Hey!" I look up to Barely Legal's emerald green eyes. "You don't like the show?" She's staring me down with her hand on her hips…she is cute though.

I didn't even realize that she stopped "Um…" Think, Ashley, think! I grab her hips so she is straddling me. "No, I loved it. I was just thinkin what you can do with those moves." I give her my famous nose-crinkling Davies smile. Nice save!

She softens up and looks at me with lust in her eyes…you know the look, don't ya? The 'I'm about to tear ya ass up' look. I sorta have that effect on…well, everyone. What can I say? It's a gift.

"I can think of a few things" says Barely Legal. Next thing I know, I'm on my back and she's attacking my lips. I should be into this, but I can't help to notice the Zac Efron poster right above us. Jesus, how old is this girl?

Barely Legal is whispering in my ear, "You are so hot" and she moves to my neck. That bitch better not leave a mark, that's like staking your claim on territory and no one owns Ashley Davies! She takes off my shirt and goes back to assaulting my neck. She's rather hasty, ain't she? Again, I should be into it, but there are alarm bells goin off in my head as soon as I see a cheerleading outfit and a yearbook dated '2010'. Whoa! My libido just froze. I flip her over. Barely Legal starts giggling, "Ooh, I like an aggressive woman."

"How old are you?" I cut right to the chase.

"Old enough." She smirks while unbuttoning my jeans, I pushed her hands away and got off the bed. She's not happy. "Hey, what the hell is your deal?"

I put my shirt back on and snort, "My deal is that I don't do jailbait, Cindy." She looks shocked, but quickly composes herself.

"That's not my name, Ashley." She walks over to me and grabs me by the hips. "Come on, baby. Age ain't nothing but a number…I'll be 17 in May."

Come again? I push her off, more annoyed this time. "..Wait a minute. You're 16? How old is your cousin, Felicia?"

She's upset now. "My name is Michelle, you stupid dyke." She said with venom in her voice.

Ohh, so now I'm a dyke cause I won't fuck you. Kids today have no respect. Like I care, I'm already out the door laughing. "Whatever, me and my friend are outta here. Have fun wet dreaming about High School Musical, little girl."

I walk down the hall and I hear little groans and giggles. "Ah, fuck. Dammit, Carmen!" I hear Ne-Yo's 'Mirror' blaring in the background. I know they won't hear me knocking so I just burst in. What I see before me…I don't even know if I should laugh my ass off or gouge my eyes out.

"Yo, A, what the fuck?" A stunned brunette and Carmen's pissed-off look are staring me down. Carmen is in her bra and panties while her 'companion' is dressed in a maid's outfit holding a duster…I'll leave the rest to your imagination. "Damn, don't you know how to knock?"

I smile holding in my laughter. "I did, you couldn't hear me." Then, I couldn't hold it anymore. "Ahhh, hahahahahaha. Oh, this is priceless." I laughed so much, tears started coming out.

Carmen gets up out of the bed and starts pushing me out. "Thanks, Miss Buzzkill, now get out!"

I got serious. "No, wait, we gotta go now." I look down. "..and put some clothes on, I don't wanna see your goodies." Don't get me wrong, Carmen has a killer body, but she's like family to me, my partner in crime.

She rolls her eyes, "Ash, I'm about to get acquainted with my new friend here, right, Angela?"

The brunette crosses her arms, "It's Amanda, Carmen."

"Right, I knew that, mami. My bad." Carmen smiles

I roll my eyes, "No, you didn't. Would you come on?"

"A, stop cockblocking, you're ruining it for me." Carmen hisses. "Where's your girl?"

"It's past her bedtime, C. She's 16." I take out a cigarette and about to light that sweet nicotine up when I hear the brunette speak. Hmm, is she 16 too wearing that type of outfit?

"Uhm, you can't smoke that in here!" Carmen is busy putting her clothes on, mumbling about growth spurts on girls today.

"And why not?" I light it up and inhale "It's a free country, right?" I say while blowing it out my mouth.

Just then her cousin comes rushing in, "Oh my god, Amanda! Your parents just pulled up!"

"Parents?" Carmen and I say in unison. Carmen grabs her jacket "That's it. Let's go! I'm not tryna get arrested tonight."

We hear the front door open. Shit, we can't go out that way. Carmen and I both look at each other, then the window. Carmen groans, "Aw, I hate heights."

"Move your ass, Sanchez!"

We climbed down to the ground with ease…well, I did. Carmen fell flat on her butt. I helped her up.

"I could've broken my coccyx, ya know."

"Since when did you start paying attention in Anatomy & Physiology?"

We jog to my car, my baby…an Infiniti G35, black on black. I named her Shane….what don't judge me? So I named her after the most notorious L Word character. You would too if you've taken a ride in it.

"Since I started flunking the first exam cause I was messing around with that girl with the nice-sized breasts." She winks.

"Oh, yea, the canteloupe girl." Carmen snorts and breathes a sigh of relief. "What?"

"I'm glad I didn't give Amanda my number."

"I'm glad we didn't get caught with underage girls." I said with my eyes on the road.

"Hey! Your girl was underage. I'm pretty sure mines was on the verge of 18. How was I suppose to know? We met them at Ego."

"You always try to justify your actions. Maybe look to see if they have a Jonas Brothers cd lying around."

"Eh, jodete" She is silent for a moment, then starts speaking again. "Amanda was lookin' good in that maid outfit though, right?"

I smile a little bit. "Yea, she was…then again, you think Miley Cyrus is hot."

"Damn right! Give her a few more years."

"Like that would stop you." We both laugh and I crank up some Drake on my stereo. You know this is a good time to introduce myself and my homegirl. I'm Ashley Davies and that's Carmen Sanchez, best friends and ladykillers of L.A.


	2. Tick Tock goes Time's clock

**Say whaa? I can't believe that I received that many reviews. It makes me feel two ways: Proud, yet pressured. Lol! Anyways, I hope ya like this one. If you got any questions or suggestions, I'm all 'eyes'. Again with the disclaimer: SON & the songs used, well, they ain't mine. Sit back and chuckle. =)**

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Carmen's POV

_"Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy  
(Hey, what up girl?)  
Grab my glasses, I'm out the door, I'm gonna hit this cit.y  
(Lets go)  
Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack  
'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back."_

*BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!*

"Aid!" Why must he play that damn song over and over again in the morning-oh, it's 2:30 in the afternoon. "Turn that damn song off already! People are tryin to sleep here!" He must want me to kick his door down. Just before I'm about to do so, he opens the door with his bare chest and this fake grin on his face. I should kick him in his nuts, but I'm still a bit groggy..I might miss. HA!

"Yes, Jersey Shore?"

"Stop calling me that, Hollister! He rolls his eyes and I just stretch in front of him. "Turn it down, aite?"

"Why? You're already up now." He asks while looking me up and down.

"Aiden, please get your man titties outta my face. They're disturbing me." He laughs and jiggles them. Cue the 'George Lopez vomit' voice. "And stop perving me when I'm just waking up...at least have the decency to do it when I'm fully awake so I can smack you."

He waves me off. "Sure thing, Snooki." That does it! I jump him. Don't let my size fool you, I get it in when need be. We both go down to the floor and I got a handful of his hair, pulling like he has pigtails. He starts to whine. "AHHH! Let go!"

"Say I'm not Snooki!"

"You're not Snooki!...You're J-Woww-AHH!" I pull harder "Ok, ok, you're not from Jersey Shore!"

I let go and his head falls to the ground. So much for him being a buff dude, his hair is his weakness. "How many times I gotta tell you, Dennison? I'm from Jersey City, CITY!, ya got it?" He holds up an ok sign. I laugh and walk out the room. Aiden can be such an..airhead…can guys be airheads? Just then, my favorite person is coming up the stairs..besides from Ashley, that is.

"Hey, Chels, what's goin' on, sista?" I smile at her. I tell you. If me and Chelsea wasn't buddies, she would be in my bedroom every chance I had. Doing what you may ask? Pssh, what you think? Body paint would be involved cause we both have that artistic side. *wink* Naw, but seriously she is a good friend.

"Well, Miss Van Gogh, I just made some turkey sandwiches. You hungry?"

"I sure am, Mom." I smile brightly

She chuckles. "You're a mess, Carmen. I'll bring it up to you. Oh, check your voicemail cause Ashley called the house phone, so it must be important."

SHIT! What does she want today? Help with shopping? Spring semester starts in a couple days and I'm supposed to be relaxin. I hit '1' on my voicemail and brace myself.

_-Carmen, wake your lazy ass up! Did you stay up and watch D.E.B.S. again? Alright, listen, I'll be at your house round __3pm__, Kyla's plane comes at 4.- _

What? That's in 20 minutes. Why didn't anybody wake me? Considerate roommates, my ass.

_-Your jeep better have enough gas in it. Oh, one more thing, thank you for applying your services today since last night didn't go so well. Haha! CLICK!-_

Damn Ashley and her making me feel semi-guilty. If you would've seen those girls last night, you wouldn't think they were Twilight teenyboppers. Mmm..Twilight, Kristen Stewart and the girl that plays Alice...together. Alright, I'm getting sidetracked here. Time to hop in and out the shower.

-35 minutes later-

"Carmen, would it kill you to invest in an alarm clock?"

"Mmmm phrmmm bmm mrm mmm."

"What?" Ashley has an annoyed look on her face She caught me in my sandwich ectasy. "You really think I could understand that? That's worse than your Spanish."

I swallow the rest of the sandwich down and smirk. "That's what cell phones are used for."

"We're gonna be late, ya know? She's busy tapping her foot to no beat in particular.

"No, we won't. Why are you so anxious?" I glance over to her. "It's just your sister."

"Yea, I know..but we haven't seen each other in 4 years." She gets quiet. "I missed her a lot."

"That's cause she was always attached to your side. Little Roly Poly." I laugh and then get hit in the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Don't make fun of my sister's weight, Carmen" She said sternly

"Alright, I'm sorry. Well, at least she's older now which means she can do her own thing. You don't have to watch over her."

"No, I still have to watch her. Trust me, I don't wanna have to deck some frat boy from pressin up on her."

"Ashley, she's a year younger than you, that's it."

"So what? I'm the older sister, which means I protect her. It's in some fuckin rulebook." We both laugh. "Besides, I don't want her to fall for someone like.."

"You?" I quirk an eyebrow finishing her sentence.

"Nah, I was thinking YOU, C." She shoots back.

I laugh my ass off. "We are two peas in a pod, puta. You insulting me is like insulting yourself."

"Yea? Well, you're the bad influence." We both smile as I turn up the music. Singing our theme song at the top of our lungs:

_"I think I should know how to make love to something innocent without leaving my fingerprints out, now.  
L-O-V-E's just another word I never learned to pronounce.  
How, do I say I'm sorry cause the word is never gonna come out, no.  
L-O-V-E's just another word I never learned to pronounce."_

-At the LAX-

"I told you, I told you, Carmen. Don't park on that side. Terminal Four is on the other side of the world." Ashley said huffing and puffing. Guess she should stop smoking so much?

"Look, I didn't know, alright? It's been awhile since I came here." I'm trying to keep up with her. I know she's a little upset, but better late than ditching all together, right?

"Oh, thank God. People are just getting off." I roll my eyes. "No weight jokes, alright?"

"You got it, A." I pantomime locking my mouth up and smile. She is so protective of her younger sister. It's kinda cute to see.

"There she is!" Ashley says excitedly. She's running now.

I turn in the direction of her gaze and I don't see some dorky kid with braces and a belly. Oh, definitely NOT! I see a young woman with a gorgeous smile, a svelte shape, I mean the breasts and booty are synchronizing with her style like something crazy. I couldn't stop staring at her..SHIT! Kyla Woods, oh, how time flies…

"Carmen, hi!" All of a sudden, the sweet scent of chocolate raspberry hits me causing me to get a little light-headed. She's hugging me now, tight. Every curve just in the right places. "How have you been. I missed you." She says all smiling her pearly whites.

That smile almost makes me melt right here and now. But, I gotta hold my composure. I mean, it's just Kyla. "Well, you know, same ol' me, different girl" She just laughs and shakes her head. "I miss you too, squirt." I said while patting her head.

She smacks it away. "Would you stop that? And don't call me, squirt. A lot has changed." She states while looking at Ashley and me

"Yea, I see." I look her up and down. Ashley raises an eyebrow at me. "You look good, Ky."

"Gracias." She winks. Wait! Did I just get a wink from Kyla 'goody two-shoes' Woods? Probably was nothing, Carmen, you're reading into it wrong.

Ashley speaks up. "So!...we should get a move on, right? So you can get settled in right, sis?" She says while putting an arm around her.

"Yea, let's get outta here. I can't wait for this year. No more freshman status." Kyla beams

"Dork."

"I like to think of myself as an over-achiever." We each grab a bag and start walking back to where the car is parked.

"Like I said: Dork."

"I love you, too, Ashley."

Kyla walks behind us. "She's staying with you at the beach house? Or with your mom and dad?" I asked softly not wanting her to overhear us.

"With me. Why? I wanna keep an eye on her. It's her first year here at college. You know how it is."

"What if she cuts in to our 'triple F' time?" For those that don't know. Ashley and I live by the Triple F when it comes to ladies. FIND 'EM, FUCK 'EM, FLEE 'EM! Simple as that.

"She wont, C. She's always in a bunch of student activities." We look back at her. Kyla's in her own little world.

I look her up and down again. She's got a nice tan to her, probably from the Native side. I can never remember the tribe. Something with a 'N', like Nantucket or something…I think that's a drink, whatever. Hmm, maybe can I ask her later and I can explore her roots…not like that, ya pervs!

"She's changed quite a bit." I say. I'm still looking at her.

"Hey! Don't go tryin to turn my sister, alright!" Ashley said sternly.

"What? I wasn't thinki-" She starts chuckling. Ok, now I'm lost.

"Chill, Carmen, I'm joking."

I let out a sigh of relief and laugh a little. "Oh." I nudge her a bit. "A, you play too much, kid."

She laughs it off and walks up more. Kyla is on my side now since I got the biggest bag. What the hell does she have in here? A body?

"Thanks for carrying my bag, Carmen." She smiles sweetly. Oh, I could go diabetic from this.

"No problem, squi-I mean, Kyla." She smiles wider.

"Good. You're learning. Is that so hard saying my name?"

"I guess not." She and I both laugh. She walks up to where Ashley is and I have quite a nice view of her 'assets'. "Your name sounds just fine on my lips." I say to myself.

This is gonna be one hell of a new year.

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**Alright! There's the 2nd Chapter. Again, I thank everyone that reviewed and has this as their favorite story ('cause I get the notifications in my email) Special shoutouts to Life-Live-Love-Learn and Halen888 for making me feel all giddy inside. Don't worry, people, Spencer will be introduced soon. I should've said from the start, this is a tad AU (okay a lot) but it's all good in the hood. =) Until next time, fanfictioners!**

**Ch.**** 1 songs used-'Bedrock' by Young Money; 'Mirror' by Ne-Yo**

**Ch.**** 2 songs used-'Tik Tok' by Ke$ha; 'Starstrukk' by 3OH!3**


	3. Welcome to La La Land

**Ok, so…please don't start the bonfire and throw me in it. I have been really busy with school and work as well as personal problems. Problems that had me walking around like the undead, but I'm back in the game now. Shoutouts are early this time. Royal S. Flush, I see what you mean by how I made Carmen sound like she's fallen already, but I got that covered in the upcoming chapters. Tussant..thanks for thinkin I'm 'cute' (smirks) I find that incredulous. With that said, on with the show…**

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Spencer's POV

I see the endless clouds streaming through the wings of the airplane. God, I love flying, it's so peaceful to be so high up in the heavens. I know most people are afraid of it, afraid of heights..but not me. I guess I'm different. Being on this flight gives me a chance to evaluate my life, think about what I could've done differently…unfortunately, I don't have a chance to delve deep in it when I'm sitting next to this:

_"Used to rock a throwback, ballin' on the corner._

_Now I rock a Teller suit, lookin like a owner. _

_No, I'm not a Jonas Brother, I'm a grown up._

_No, I'm not a virgin, I use my cojones."_

"Oh Jesus. Glen!" I'm shaking my head; the other passengers are starting to look in our direction. "Glen!" I nudge him, but he is his 'bag' right now, as he puts it.

_"Gotta keep it fresh, girl, even when we sexin'. But don't be mad at me when he's on to the next one. Freeze!"_ He raps the last word loudly. I snatch the earbuds out his head and give him an angry look. "Ow! Damn, Spencer, I was jammin."

"'Jammin'?" I roll my eyes. "Don't lose your street cred, bro. You don't see that you're disrupting the plane?" He looks around and shrugs. Clueless, I tell ya. "You were rappin like you were at a concert."

"Man, these people should be lucky that I was rappin the great HOVA. That guy's a legend." He's about to put his earbuds back in, but I stop him. "What?"

"You're not puttin them back on so you can rap out-of-tune, Glen." He sucks his teeth and fold his arms. "Just sit tight, we should be there in 45 minutes."

"Aww, you never let me have any fun." He looks down the aisle and grins "Hey, I bet I can get that stewardess' number." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Glen, we haven't even set foot in Los Angeles yet and already, you're being a horndog."

"Oh, come on, Spencer, we are on our own now. No mommy and daddy around. We can do what we want." I shake my head at him "You know, I thought being a twin meant we would act alike."

"Glen, the only thing we have in common is birthdates."

"And women." He points to the stewardess. "Our taste is impeccable."

"That's a big word for you." He laughs. "But I question your taste sometimes."

"Ok, I bet you ten bucks that I can get her number, Spencer." I raise an eyebrow at him. The stewardess looks like she is in her late 20s, brunette and legs that go on and on. He doesn't stand a chance.

"Make it twenty and we got a deal." We shake hands.

Glen presses the button and the stewardess comes his way. "Watch. This." He turns and smiles to the stewardess, showing off his two and a half years of orthodontal work.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" She looks between the two of us.

"Yes, my sister would like some water. But, I would like to know what time I should call you to set dinner up." She looks at him like he's a child.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Smiley." She looks at me now, but is still talking to him. I see his smile falter. "But, if your sister would like more than her water, I wouldn't mind."

She winks at me and I blush a little. I have no problem having a girl being interested in me, but I'm shy when it comes to them.

"Umm…no, water is fine." She frowns at my answer and so does Glen.

"Sure. No problem." She walks off, swaying her hips as she does. Glen looks straight at me.

"What?"

"Why did you fumble on the play? She was obviously interested in you." See, that's what I like about my brother. He can accept when a girl likes me better. "I mean, you could've hit that for both of us." There goes the sincerity. "What were you thinking?"

I roll my eyes at him. "I'm not looking for a mindless fuck, Glen. That's you, not me."Me being out now doesn't mean that I have to have sex with every girl that's available to me. I just don't function that way.

"Maybe it would be you if you just loosen up a little." I open up my Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol. I'm tryin to tune him out, but it's not working. "Listen, Spencer, you have to get over Brit-..."

"Don't you dare say her name!" I threatened him. "I told you not to say that name again."

He knows I have a temper and a low tolerance for his bullshit.

He backs off some. "Ok, look, I'm sorry…It's just that it's been two years now. You can go on a date once and awhile."

"Oh, like you do?"

"Yea."

"Glen, you meet chicks off of Facebook and hook up with guys on Manhunt."

"Shh! Christ! Can you keep your voice down, please?" He's looking around to see if anyone had heard us.

"Who cares if your bi, Glen, you are what you are."

"Yea, but I don't need the whole plane knowing it." He sighs "How bout we do this? The first girl" I look at him, he whispers "or guy that takes interest in us, we go on a date with. Just one date, it couldn't hurt, right?" He grins.

"I don't know…shouldn't we concentrate on our studies, brother?" I laugh and go back to my book.

"We can do both. We'll get a couple of hot tutors." He pouts "Pwease, Spencey."

I can't resist when he does that. "Ugh, fine. Just one date. But, she has to be somewhat interesting."

"Fine, whatever works for you." He lies back a little and closes his eyes. "You can to go back to your conspiracy book."

I roll my eyes. "Ass."

"I heard that."

"I know."

At UCLA's Sproul Hall

I try to find my room. It's on the 5th floor. I see that this is truly a co-ed dorm. The guys are walkin around with shirts off. The girls are wearing boy shorts and revealing tops..which, of course, I don't mind. Definitely better than living on naval bases all your life. I think Glen would agree with me on this. He's probably having a fucking ball right now at this sight.

"505, 506.." I count "507." I stand outside my door. I never had a roommate before. I'm kinda nervous to see who I will have as a roommate on the other side. "Now or never, Spencer." I put the key in and turn, praying I don't have a homophobic roomie.

I walk in the room and I see no one. I'm a tad disappointed and relieved at the same time. I look over to my left and see a vacant side and I start unpacking. It seems cozy enough. I look over to my roommate's side and she has various posters up of different rappers and R&B singers. I'm just about to look at her pictures in the mirror when I hear someone clear their throat.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing in my room? On my side?" I look over and see this Latina girl in nothing but a towel. I have to stop myself fron eyeing her.

"I'm sorry. I-I was just admiring your side, that's all." Her face softens. "I'm Spencer by the way. Spencer Carlin." I hold out my hand, she shakes it.

"Sorry, girl. I'm Madison Duarte. You can call me Maddy though." She closes the door and drops her towel. I immediately turn the other way to give her privacy. "I gotta say, I thought they bent the rules here when they told me my new roommate was named Spencer. Guess they fooled me, huh?" She laughs. "You can turn around now, I'm decent."

"Yea, well, I get that a lot." She sits on her bed and puts lotion on. I can automatically hear my brother in my head saying, 'Hells yea.' I shake my head. "So, Maddy, is this your first year here?"

"Unh-uh. I'll be asking the questions, newbie." She smiles at me. I don't know how well this is gonna go. "Where ya from originally? Any brothers or sisters?" She's puttin on her clothes now.

"Well, um. I have lived all over the place, my mom and dad are doctors in the Navy. So my brother and I lived on different Naval bases. But, we are originally from Chicago."

"Oh, so you have a brother.." She starts applying her make-up, never once looking at me. "Is he a ten, chica?"

I laugh so hard. "A ten? Not in my opinion. I mean, he's my twin, so, I can't rate his looks."

"So, he's a boy version of you? Nice." She finally turns around and looks at me. "Do you both go here?"

"Yea, he lives one floor down."

"Cool, I'll have to check him out." I roll my eyes. He would love that. "So, any boyfriend you left back home?

I hesitate. Should I tell her my first day of meeting her that I'm a lesbian? "Not exactly…"

She stops me mid-sentence. "Say no more, I get it. It was a girl. One of my last roommates was a lesbo. I have no problem with it. Just don't try to fuck me while I'm sleeping or something." She messes with her hair a little. I honestly don't know if that was suppose to be funny or not.

"Uh..ok, I won't." I roll my eyes. Why does every straight girl have to throw that out there as a disclaimer? She's cute, but not my type. She's getting ready to leave out. "Hey, wait a minute. Is there anything I need to know? About you or the school?"

She sighs like I'm wasting her time. "Yea, there is. The guys are assholes, but a good lay..ya know, if ya get the urge for some dick. The girls are slutty, so a few drinks and they should be all yours. No one really studies until crunch time and $1 slice and drinks nights are on Tuesdays." She walks out the door, but doesn't close it. "Oh, yea, don't touch any of my shit without asking. In fact, just don't touch anything. Entiendes?"

I nodded my head. I can't believe my luck right now. "Nice meeting you, Madison."

"Yea, uh-huh, same. See ya later." She shuts the door and I'm left alone in the room.

When Glen and I decided to go to UCLA for college, I thought I would look forward to being here. Get away from everything back home…but my first encounter has me longing for the past. I shake my head as I'm unpacking my stuff, mimicing what Madison said. "Don't touch any of my shit without asking. Just don't touch anything. Bitch." I take out my IPOD and a picture of me and my best friend a.k.a. the only girl I ever been in love with. Glen would shit a brick if he knew I still had this picture of me and her. I remember he told me to get rid of it…it's hard to get rid of who u felt was the love of your life.

"Well, Brittany, this is my new home for the next 2 years or so." I start to get teary-eyed as I stare at the picture. I hope this was the right move to help forget everything that's happened cause I just can't seem to. I put the picture under my mattress and turn my IPOD on…I can unpack later. I let Adele flow through my ears.

_"Should I give up? Or should I just keep chasing pavements?_

_Even if it leads nowhere.._

_Or would it be a waste, even if I knew my place?_

_Should I leave it there?_

_Should I give up? Or should I just keep chasing pavements?_

_Even if it leads nowhere?"_

My phone buzzes next to me and I look and it's a text message from Glen.

-Lets go check out the 'scenery' ;-) –

I chuckle a bit and text him back.

–Meet u in the lobby in 5-

Looks like he wants to get started early on the quest to find a date...I guess I should do the same.

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**Oooookk! So, that's chapter 3. Forgive me if it's a lil somber, but I don't want my story to be all fun and games, ya know. I'm already working on the next chapter. It will be more upbeat. Trust. Things will unfold little by little. Any questions, hit me in the PM box. Thanks to the ones that are still reading and as always, read and review. Chau! =)**

**Songs used: On To The Next One by Jay-Z feat. Swizz Beatz; Chasing Pavements by Adele**


	4. Family Portrait & A Rude Awakening

**Yay! I actually stuck within a week and a half mark. I had a very un-Spring Break. Didn't relax AT ALL! In fact, I just wrote this like two nights ago honestly, but had the idea since the last chapter. Royal Flush, thanks for the response to my pm. I believe I know which story you're referring to if it's an SON story. Haha! :) Momo, I'm glad I made your day with the song, sweetheart. Hopefully, I can do that again in later tunes. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Not the owner of this S.O.N. business, but I am the owner of that, these, those, and them.**

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Kyla's P.O.V.

This is the life. Warm weather. Waking up to an amazing view. The scent of the Pacific..The sound of your sister screwing some bimbo she met last night at Red Lobster when it's suppose to be a homecoming celebration. Ugh! Let me rewind that for ya'll:

After Ashley and Carmen picked me up-"Oh, Ashley, don't stop!" Oh, come on! Really?

"Shh! Not so loud! My sister's asleep." Oh, thanks for caring, Ash. Now, where was I before the moans?..Oh yea, so, after they came and got me, we dropped off my belongings at the house and met up with the 'rents for dinner. Our dad hasn't seen me in quite awhile_. _

"Hey, princess." My dad said while pulling me into a big bear hug and giving me a kiss on the forehead. "I've missed you so much. How was your flight? Did you like the first class treatment?" He beamed. Raife Davies always likes to fly in style.

"Dad, I told you. I could've flown coach. It's no big deal."

"Nonsense! Only the best for my Kyla."

"What am I, Dad? Roadkill?" Ashley retorts jokingly. He pulls her into a hug with us. "Oh, I feel the love." She pretends to wipe a tear away.

Dad laughs, "Oh, cut the shit, Ashley. I just saw you a week ago." He looks over to Carmen "And if it isn't my adopted kid, Carmen." He steps out from us and holds out his arms for her.

"Papi!" Carmen yells. I swear. She looked so cute running towards our dad, like a little 6 year-old.

He gives her a hug and a pat on the back. "You and Ashley keeping out of trouble?"

"They're the definition of 'trouble'." I mutter under my breath.

Carmen rolls her eyes at me. "Sure, we are, Raife. You know us." She shoots him a thousand watt-smile. She always had a great smile, a little bit cocky though.

I'm losing my place here...anyways, we grab a table and order our food. I love Red Lobster. I mean, I am from B-More, it's what we do. I see there's an extra seat for..Christine. My sister's mother. I don't use the term stepmother because she hasn't been much of a mother-figure to me. Ashley seems to think that, also.

"Wait! Christine is coming?" Ashley says with disgust, "I'm not hungry."

"Ashley, sit down." Dad said sternly "Your _mother_ will be with us shortly."

"No mother of mine." Ashley folds her arms and dad sighs, Carmen is busy eating the biscuits. She's already inhaled three of them. "This is supposed to be for Kyla, so why is she coming?" My sister and her mother have never been really close, probably because she never accepted Ash liking girls. She did find out in an upsetting way though, walking in while Ashley was having sex with the cook, some 18 year old from Belgium. I miss her..she made some tasty waffles.

"Because this is a family affair, Ashley Jean Davies." That would be Christine answering the question. She sits down; yet, doesn't say hello to any of us since she's on her Blackberry, just gives dad a quick peck on the lips. I look over at Ash who's shooting daggers at Christine. "Yea, Don, I have to call you back in 30. I'm having dinner with the family." She hangs up her call and sighs. "This recession is messing with my business."

"Well, thank you, Captain Obvious." Ashley mumbles. "You're late, Christine." Dad shoots her a 'don't push it' look. She puts on a fake smile. "Glad you could make it, mother."

Christine huffs and then puts on a fake smile, "I'm sure you are, dear. Now, where's our waitress?"

As if on cue, the waitress comes and takes our order. She's pretty, too. A blonde with a nice rack. Oh God, I sound as bad as Ashley and Carmen. Speaking of which, they both have that glint in their eyes: Fresh meat.

"So, Kyla, how have you been, honey? Will you be in the drama club at the university this year?"

I honestly don't like answering her. It always feels like she's a detective. "I've been alright, Christine. Just wanted a new beginning. I would like to join-"

"That's nice, dear. I see you lost all that baby weight. Not that you didn't look cute before, it's just you know, you look better now. " That botox bitch cuts me off mid-sentence and then smiles at me like she did my sister. I don't know what my dad sees in her. "How's your mother?"

"What? Give it a rest, Christine! Like you give a shit." That would be Ashley again.

"Enough!" Dad yells. The bickering is taking its toll on him. "Can we just have a pleasant family dinner, please?" Everyone at the table is quiet.

"Umm…biscuits, anyone?" Carmen asks while holding up the near empty basket.

I roll my eyes at her and chuckle. Ashley laughs and puts Carmen's arm down.

Leave it to her to break the tension. Christine didn't even acknowledge her, then again she rarely does. She thinks Carmen is a bad influence on my sister. When, in reality, they are just birds of a feather.

"Seriously, Carm, do you ever stop eating?" Ashley asks while watching Carmen scarf down the last of the biscuits.

"That's what your sister said-" SMACK! That was Ashley hitting Carmen in the back of her head. "OW! Damn, Ash, it was a joke."

"Well, it wasn't funny. My sister's not on the menu."

"Alright, alright. My bad." Carmen looks at me and I give her a small smile. I know she didn't mean anything by it..even if I want it to mean something.

Christine shakes her head and says in a hush tone, "No home training with these people." Of course, only I hear her. Just then our waitress comes back with our food. Her name tag says 'Ruby'.

"Can I get ya'll anything else?"

"No." Carmen says while looking her up and down. "But my friend here has a question for you."

Oh, no. Not the 'shy friend' routine. This never seems to fail them.

The waitress looks at Ashley with interest. "Ok…shoot."

Cue the timid voice. "It's just well, I don't know-I mean you don't have to answer this if you don't want to…"

'Ruby' smiles at Ashley. "It's ok, cutie. I'll answer." My dad and Carmen are just looking on with amusement.

Ashley nervously smiles in return. "It's just I was wondering what time you get off so I can maybe ask you out on a date tonight?"

"Well… I get off in twenty. Are you asking me?"

"Yes." Ashley says that a little too quickly. I swear they have this routine rehearsed to perfection.

"Ok, I'll see you in twenty." She walks away while swaying her hips.

"Ugh! She's not getting a tip." Christine swigs the last of her Merlot.

"Christine, please." Dad shakes his head and then smiles brightly at Ashley. "Nice one, kiddo." They bump fists. I laugh, boys will be boys..or girls..whatever.

"Raife, don't encourage their debauchery."

"Baby, they're kids. Let them have their fun."

"Right, I have to go now. My next meeting starts in a half hour and I rather not be stuck in traffic." Christine gives my father a quick kiss goodbye and just leaves. What? No goodye to the rest of us mere mortals?

I sigh. "That was eventful."

Dad rubs my shoulder. "I'm sorry, honey. I thought it would be better this time…Do you wanna drink?"

"I'll take one, Raife."

"Carmen, shut up, you lush." Ashley said. Ruby came back to the table and Ashley stands up. "Hi. Ya ready to go?" Ruby nods her head and whispers in my sister's ear, then walks to the exit.

"What she say, A?"

Ashley sighs and grins, "That she hopes I'm not afraid of motorcycles 'cause she's takin me for a ride."

I burst out laughing. "Are u serious? Was that suppose to be sexy or something?"

"Kyla, I don't care as long as she's riding me by the end of the night."

"Oh, God." I hold my hand up for silence. "I sooo didn't need to hear that." Dad places a couple bills in the waitress' hand and gives each of us a hug.

"I gotta go record now with some new artists. I'll let you girls hear some of the songs later. Have fun, Ashley." He winks, "I know I would." Ew! I definitely didn't need to hear that.

"Ha! You know it, dad." Ashley wiggles her eyebrows. "Shit! I forgot. Hey, C, take my sister home, will ya?" Wait, what?

"But, Ashley, it's my first night home. Shouldn't we do some sisterly bonding and paint each other's nails?"

Carmen puts her arm around me. "Ky, Ky, your sister can bond with you afterwards. Let her do some special bonding with this Ruby chick." She smiles at me. "You know how it is when you're trying to get you some, right?"

"C, do you need me to smack you again?"

She pouts. "No, Ash." Carmen whispers to me, "She wants to be all cocky now since she's about to get laid."

"Listen, I need to get outta here. Make sure she gets home safe." Ash comes and gives me a hug. "I promise for tomorrow night, we'll watch The Notebook or whatever sappy-ass movie together."

I laugh. "Alright, it's a date."

Carmen chuckles, "That sounded gay."

"It would, to you."

She smirks at me. "Let's go, squirt."

So, at this point, we're heading back now. The car ride is kinda quiet. I'm switching through her Ipod trying to find some tunes to play. I know she feels her eyes on me every so often. There are few times her and I have been alone together.

"So..." Looking at her for what seems the bazillionth time.

"So.." She glances at me, "Find anything you like?"

Oh, yes, I have and I'm looking right at it… Ha! You think I really told her that? You must be high!

"Not really….I didn't think you have so many rock songs. I mean , Fall Out Boy, Silversun Pickups, Nirvana "

"Well, I guess I'm full of surprises." She half-smiles, "Like you are, 'hadita'."

"Hady-whatnow?"

She chuckles at my confusion, "It's like 'pixie' or 'fairy' in Spanish, Ky. You better get it together. Don't you know the U.S. is becoming a bilingual nation?"

"Wow! I didn't know you being smart was a surprise, either."

"Ouch! That struck a chord." Carmen clutches her heart in mock-sadness. She then reaches over and grabs the Ipod. "I'll find something for us…" All of a sudden, I hear 808 bass kick in through her speakers.

"Oh my god, Carmen. You gotta be kiddin me? You know how old this song is to me?"

She starts grooving to the beat in her seat. "Hey, it's recent to me. Besides, you get it first before anyone." I laugh and do a little dance with her. She can be so carefree at times, I think this was a right choice coming to school over here.

"Lemme ask you something, why didn't you come at the waitress?" I pretend that it's nonchalant, but I really wanted to know.

She shrugs, "I knew Ashley wanted her more. It's not like I can't go without bangin a girl for a night or two."

"Ha! I'll believe it when I see it." I flag her with my hand. A bit childish, I know. Maybe I'm a tad jealous.

"I mean it's not like the girl was attractive…She's just not my type." We reach a stoplight and Carmen's cool gray eyes look into mine. "I like a woman with some meat on her, you know what I'm sayin? Curves do it for me." She smiles.

I bite my lip subconsciously. "Yea, I understand." Just when we are having a moment, the car behind us honks its horn.

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Impatient-ass drivers." She turns up the volume louder. "This my part right here."

_"Mr. West  
Ye is the building  
Let everybody know  
I got the world in my hand  
And i aint finna let it go  
Is that yo girlfriend  
I really like her  
Im talking only for one night  
I wouldnt wife her."_

Carmen is dancin in her seat. I'm just laughing at her playfulness. "You would like that part in particular, huh?"

"You know me all too well." She stops in front of the house. "Home sweet home, Ms. Daisy."

"Thank you." I grin at her, she returns the gesture.

"You, uh..want me to walk you to your door?" She's fidgeting a little. It's..cute.

"Thanks, Carmen, but I'm pretty sure I won't get into a situation out here."

"Hey, I'm just sayin. You can't trust that old lady knitting in her living room. Her tools are dangerous weapons." We both laugh at her joke, even if it was a little lame. "Alright, well, since you're good, I'll just head home."

"What? No booty call for you tonight?"

"Nah, gotta give my fingers and tongue a rest every now and then. Besides, I'm low on dental dams." She grins as I shake my head in laughter.

"Good night, Carmen." I give her a hug. Damn, she smells good. Like cinnamon and maple, just delicious.

She hugs a little longer. "Good night, '_hadita_'. See you at school tomorrow. Welcome home." She drives off while I watch from the doorway. Moments like this, I believe she would be interested in me…if she only knew.

Now, back to the present time, which is 10:30a.m..I'm sorry that took so long. I just pay attention to detail, I guess. That's how Ashley got her 'piece'. I need to get ready for school. Sophomore, 2nd semester, baby! I have Human Sexuality and Modern Dance class (my elective) today. Hey! I just realized the moaning and groaning stopped in my sister's room.

"Ashley, hurry up!" I called out, "My class starts at 12."

"Alright, I'm heading in the shower now."

Best part about the beach house..besides the beach itself, of course. Private bathrooms. Take as much time as needed. After I get dressed, I head downstairs to get some Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Mmm..cinnamon. Carmen. Scent. Ok, this is too early in the day for me to start acting like this.

Ashley comes down 10 minutes later, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. "Ready to go?"

She asks while biting into a peach.

"Is that all you're gonna eat?"

"Yea." She pats her stomach in a joking matter. "Gotta watch my figure."

We get into her car and peel off with Britney Spears blasting, her guilty pleasure. "Didn't you burn enough calories last night?" I look at her accusingly, "And this morning?"

She cringes, "Yea, sorry about that. If it's any consolation, I kicked her out as soon as she and I were done. She started talking about a second 'date' and shit. No thank you."

I shake my head. "You're unbelievable, Ash. Do you think you'll ever have a girl that achtually stays until the next night or two…and I don't know..cuddle?"

She chuckles, "I don't know Ky. Our dad is a rockstar. The lifestyle runs in the blood."

"What lifestyle? Partying like a rockstar?"

"That. And fucking like a pornostar." Ew! I hate having that idea in my head of my sister's sexual liasions, but two can play at that game.

"Well, I guess you should have some earplugs for when I have my 'guests' over."

She shook her head vigorously. "Uh-uh. Nooo. There will be no dicks in your bedroom, let alone in you. Not on my watch." She stated in a serious tone.

"Who said it was gonna be dicks?" I grin at her.

"Oh, man, even worse." She halfway laughs.

"It's ok, I'll let you have first dibs since you're the oldest."

"You're about as freaky as this song right now. What's gotten into you?" I open my mouth to speak , but got cut off. "You know what? Don't answer that."

I shrug and look out the window. She looks at me sideways and just shakes her head. The rest of the ride is silent while the song is playing:

_"1, 2, 3  
Not only you and me  
Got one eighty degrees  
And I'm caught in between  
Countin'  
1, 2, 3  
Peter, Paul and Mary  
Gettin' down with 3P  
Everybody loves ***  
Countin'"_

I know Ashley thinks I'm playing around and all, she still sees me as her baby sister. The good sister; the studious, virginal daughter that every parent would like to have. But I know what (or should I say who) I want and I damn well plan to get it, one way or another. Ashley will have to accept that..especially the fact that I'm a lady lover too. I suppose that's another trait flowing in our blood.

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**Whew! Finally, I'm done. I had fun with this chapter and I'm pretty sure I will have fun with the next one. Why you may ask? Because..SPASHLEY chapter next! Oh yes, fanfictioners. As always, I thank you in advance for keeping up with my story. It means a lot. *tear, sniffle* By Monday, I will have it up, alright? Oh, and if there's any issues you have with this, hit me up in a pm. R&R. Lata! =)**

**Songs used: I'm The Shit Remix by DJ Class feat. Kanye West; 3 by Britney Spears.**


	5. School Dazed & Confused

**And I'm back at it again. Busy week for me, but I had time for this. Hopefully, it doesn't suck cause I'm a bit nervous for this one. If I have any fellow Pagans reading this, I hope you had a Blessed Ostara. :) If not, Spring is finally here! Time to show off some revealing skin. Haha! I will say something about the reviews afterwards. Let's get it!**

**Disclaimer: I know that ya'll know that everybody in the hood knows that I don't own South of Nowhere. Lol!**

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Ashley's POV

Man, let me tell you. Last night was a bit of a failure. I think I would've enjoyed myself more with Kyla and our toe-nail painting. It's not that the girl wasn't a good lay or anything. I just didn't think it was necessary to sound like a hyena while having an orgasm, that's all. It killed my own buzz! Speaking of a buzz…

"God, Ashley, do you have to smoke that around me?"

I blew the smoke away from Kyla. She's been trying to have me quit even before she went back home. "Listen, Ky, if you don't like it, you can go." I replied sending a smirk her way.

"You know I don't my way around here that well." She whines while I lead the way to her class.

"Fine, hold on." I take a few more puffs and put the cigarette out. A girl can't enjoy her ciggy these days. Ah, nicotine, how good you have been to me.

"Thank youuu." She stretched out. I'm about to put the rest of my unused cigarette back in the pack when she grabs it and throws it away. "Stop being such a cheapskate."

"Are you kidding me right now? Kyla, those things are like $6.50 a pack!"

"Then, maybe you should quit." She grinned.

"Yea, Ky, while I'm at it maybe I should call Christine and tell her I met Prince Charming, too." She chuckles at my suggestion. "I'm not an addict to cigarettes. I just have one when.."

"You're stressed, sad, angry, after a lousy lay or a really good one.." She answered while counting on her fingers.

"Ok, ok..I get it. You're about to make me smoke another one." I reach for my pack jokingly.

"You better not." She warns while smacking my arm. I laugh and hold up my arms in surrender. We stop at her classroom door.

"Well, we're here." I fix her shirt and pat her head. "Have a good sex education class, Ky-Ky."

She swats my hands away. "I'm not 8 years old, dammit." She grins. "But thank you, big sis."

"No problem. I hear the professor is cute by the way." I shrug my shoulders "No breeder."

"No what?"

"You know, the term 'no breeder'." Kyla just looks at me with a confused look. "It's like our version of 'No homo'. I said that because the professor is a guy."

She nods her head. "I see...Why not just say 'No hetero'?"

"Eh. Too many syllables for me. And because, that's what the breeders expect from us homos to use. I fooled them though."

"Riiight…time for class."

I laugh, "I'll see you in an hour and a half."

Music Composition, here I come. What? Like you expected anything else from me? Of course I'm going to school for this. I'm a Davies. While I'm walking into the music building, I see Chelsea and her boyfriend, Sean.

"Hey, Ashley. Ya ready for the class?" Chelsea asks while giving me a hug.

"Of course, I live for this, Chels." I look over to Sean and smile. "Hey, Sean. How ya been?" I gave Sean a dap. I don't give guys hugs ya know, they have cooties.

"What up, Ashley? Enjoying the sights of our student body?"

"Sean, must you ask her that every time you see her?"

"Because it's always someone new she's looking at, baby." He says kissing her cheek, she leans into him more and smiles. "You know I'm not the one for change anyway."

"I am." I reply. "Nothing like having a different girl frequently."

"Well, he prefers the same girl." Chelsea states.

"Yea, in different positions frequently." He jokes. Chelsea rolls her eyes and shoves him.

"I gotta meet up with Carmen for Art. I'll see you later, babe." She said while giving him a long kiss.

"Ahem," They're still kissing. They gotta come up for air sometime. "Cut it out! You two kids gonna knock me up with all this PDA."

"Sorry, Ashley. I'll see you around."

"Bye, Chels." I see Sean watching her walk off. They are so into each other. I mean, they have been dating for 4 years. No breaks or detours. It works for them. FOR THEM, I said.

"Sean, you better have some hot cousins for me at your wedding when you marry Chelsea cause I see that happening pretty soon." He looks at me and shakes his head.

"I see that happening, too, Ashley."

"Huh? Are you forreal?"

"Forreal, it's our last semester. I'm gonna propose to her after we graduate."

"Wow!..That's…wow!" I was speechless. I mean it's great…but would it work? Relationships are overrated in my belief. Marriage is worse, like handing yourself over to a person completely…I'm not gonna tell him that though cause maybe, just maybe, they can make it work. "I'm…I'm happy for you, man."

"Really, Ashley? 'Cause any minute, I'm thinking you're gonna laugh or run away from what I said." He said skeptically.

"Pssh, I'm a warrior, Shizz. Don't doubt me."

"I'm just saying. You have a fear of that concept. I remember Aiden telling me that in 1st grade, ya'll played house and you didn't wanted to be mommy and daddy, but roommates with him."

"That's because I wanted another mommy in the house, not a daddy." I say with a grin.

"Whatever." We settled in our seats. I look around the room and see a couple of drum sets and a number of guitars, keyboards, and brass instruments. Oh yea, this class is gonna be kick-ass. Sean shakes his head at me. "What, Miller?"

"It's not that awful, you know.." I look at him with a blank expression waiting for him to continue. "Having a relationship with someone, not just having relations."

"That coming from a man who used to do the same shit I was doing." I retort

He sits back and laughs. I don't know if it's because of me or his past. He and Aiden were like me and Carmen, just not as many ladies as we pull. Aiden is still like us somewhat. "Exactly, Davies. I've been where ya been. It's possible for a tiger to change his stripes."

"Not overnight, though."

"Touché."

"Besides, my friend..." I say while a mocha-skinned girl with an apple bottom passes by. Damn, wonder if she stays on campus, "There are too many felines out here to change just like that."

He looks too, and then laughs when the girl sends a wink my way. "Yea, you'll say that until one claws the hell outta ya."

"Shut up."

"Just for that, I'll make sure Chelsea throws the bouquet directly at you."

An hour and 20 minutes later

So far, I ran into about 5 girls that I had sex with. Two of their names, I remember and the others are not worth remembering; all of them asking me to call or asking why I didn't call. I didn't get any slaps, so that's a good thing. I'm listening to my IPOD while waiting for Kyla to get out.

_"Forget the world without removing the glass from your lips._

_Call the police, this whole place is gonna burn._

_You love money and the sex in your veins._

_Call the police, this whole place is gonna burn._

_They're tryin' to take it from us, they're tryin' to take it from us._

_Call the police, this whole place is gonna burn._

_The sun's comin' up and we're still awake."_

It's a lecture class and I see a bunch of students piling out. A few attractive girls out the bunch and then, I see her…peach cream skin, silky blonde hair, a natural blonde at that…and the most beautiful baby blue eyes I've ever seen, the color blue that can rival with the Pacific. From the looks of it, she was in shape, not like some of these anorexic girls that I've been dealing with lately. She must be new here 'cause I would've noticed her in a second. She must feel my eyes on her cause she looks my way and I lock eyes with her for like 2 seconds, enough for her to do a once-over and for me to send a small smile, that's all the incentive I need. I'm about to approach her when my lovely sister steps in front of me.

"Hey! You were right about the professor. He's cute, but not my type. Good thing, right?"

"Huh?" I ask trying to look past her; I see 'baby blue' walking off. "Damn. Kyla, you got the worst timing."

"What did I do?" She whines

"Can't talk. I'll meet you in Starbucks in fifteen minutes." I start to walk off when Kyla grabs me.

"Tell me you're not leaving me again for another potential hook-up. Remember, you said Notebook and nail painting tonight."

"Kyla, come on. You're ruining my chances here." She let's go and I jog off in the blonde's direction. I'm a bit winded, I should really stop smoking.

"Even pimps have sick days, you know!"

I think that's what she says. I'm about 3 yards in back of her and I see her go into the library, of all places. The Library? On the first day of school? Hmm…I do like the nerdy type a bit...I can see her now...'baby blue' sitting on my table with a comfortably tight blouse and skirt taking her glasses off…FOCUS, DAVIES!

I walk in and realize I don't know which way she went. Think, Ashley…

"Excuse me?" I ask the librarian, who is obviously not my fantasy of a librarian; it's some little old lady with lipstick on her teeth.

"Can I help you, young lady?" Her voice sounds like she swallowed a frog.

"Yes, can you point me into the direction of books on sexuality?"

The librarian looks me up and down in a distasteful way and says, "Aisle 3 in the back."

"Thanks." I walk towards where she said. I bet no one's screwed that in decades.

I reach my destination and I see her sitting down alone at a table reading and taking notes. Aww, so studious. It then hits me. What am I to say? Or even act? I don't think I ever followed a girl just to get her...I don't know what I want from her. Something's telling me not to approach 'baby blue' in my usual way. I think that's my logical side. Logical side, where have you been?...Why am I still standing here talking with myself?

"Go hard or go home, Davies." I say to myself while grabbing a random book off the shelf. "Hi." I greet her with a pleasant smile and a higher octave voice. Where did that come from? I clear my throat. "Mind if I sit here?"

She looks up at me and narrows her eyes at me and like a light bulb, she remembers me from a few minutes ago. "Um.." she says, a little unsure. She looks around and sees the other empty seats. "You wanna sit here?"

"Sure...I rather sit with a nice face than by my lonesome." I answer honestly. It looks like she's considering saying no. I turn to walk away cause I'm not trying to waste my time when there's other girls out there. "It's ok, I'll sit somewhere else."

"No, wait…" I look at her and see she's biting her lip in contemplation. "I'm sorry..I just had a lot on my mind lately. You can sit here if you want."

"Thanks. I understand what you mean. The teachers here are no joke." I say sitting down. Good to make small talk, right?

She smiles a bit, showing off a hint of a dimple. "Yea…" She has a little sexy, deep voice…I bet it sounds great when she's moaning. Aw, man, Kyla's right, I am like a teenage boy. A moment or two skips before I start speaking again.

"So, what you reading?" I ask her trying to see the title of her book.

"Oh." She looks down and her cheeks turn pink. Aww, I made her blush that easy with a simple question. "Its called THE HISTORY OF SEX."

. "Really?" I quirk an eyebrow, she nods her head quickly. "Mind if I take a look?" She hands me the book and our fingers touch lightly and I feel…I don't know what I feel. But it's new..and good. "Wow! I see.." I said amazed flipping throught the pages "Is this for your own personal enjoyment or for class?" I grin devilishly.

"For class." She laughs and it's like music to my ears. "I'm taking a Human Sexuality course as an elective. I want to be a social worker."

"How admirable of you." She smiles. I'm already thinking of other ways to make that smile permanent.

"What about you? What are you reading?" She tilts my book up and laughs. "Is that for personal enjoyment or for class?"

"What?" I turn the book around and it says MALE HOMOSEXUAL DESIRE IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD. Oh, what the fuck? "Um…it's for enjoyment..you know I like to keep an open mind about these things."

"Shh!" We hear a guy say trying to fall asleep in his chair. She and I both laugh at him.

"I see...well, what's your major then if that's not for class?"

"I'm a music major. I play quite a few instruments" I smirk.

"That sounds interesting. But I think you're in the wrong section then if you're a music major.."

"Nope, not at all." Time to ante up the swag. "I saw a girl sitting alone and…" I look into those pools of blue "I thought she was too beautiful to be sitting by herself. I just had to sit next to you."

"Shh! This is a quiet area, you know." I turn around to the guy and he's looking straight at us.

"Sorry, dude." The guy shakes his head and pulls his hoodie up. Fucking tool.

I turn back to her and she's looking at me with her head tilted. Aww, this girl is just full of cuteness. It's gonna have me in a pile of goo.

"Sorry about that…where were we?" She smirked at me. "What?"

"Does that work for you often?"

"What does?"

"Saying sweet nothings to a girl so you can score with her. Or are you just experimenting and want to try the other team?"

My jaw dropped. I never had a chick ask me something like that. I have to regroup. Should I be honest with her? I think she may see through my bullshit.

"Well, it does work for me quite often." I say in earnest. "But, you are beautiful." She looks down and blush. "And trust me, I'm as straight as a circle." She chuckles a little bit at my answer.

"So, you are trying to score then.." Damn, she can see right through me. I'm gonna have to salvage this.

"One: you said that, not me. Two: I just met you. At least, we can go on a few dates and I give you a promise ring." I grin. She just shakes her head.

"I see. So, what are you promising then?" Ah, she does have a bit of confidence in her.

"Whatever you like.."

"Hmm..well, can you promise me not to use any pick-up lines on me again?" My grin falters.

"Uhm, sure…no problem, I promise.." It's silent as we look at each other. She gets up and pushes her chair in.

"Well, it was nice talking to you..erm?" She waits for me to introduce myself.

"Ashley," I stand up and shake her hand; nice, soft hands with long fingers. Hmm... "Ashley Davies."

"Well, thanks for sitting with me cause I'm so beautiful.." She says with raised eyebrows and a smirk. "I guess I'll see you around, Ms. Davies." 'Baby blue' walks away.

What the hell just happened? I thought I was in there. It went 180 on me. "Aw, dammit." I say loudly in frustration.

"SHH!"

"How bout you 'shh' the fuck up, douchebag!" I yell at Mr. Sleepy

"Hey, don't be mad at me cause you didn't get her." He replies and snickers.

Damn, he's right. I didn't get the girl. Hell, I didn't even get her name. I run out the library and look for her, not before I chuck the queer book at the quiet master. What was with all the 'Shh's anyway? I gotta be crazy running after 'baby blue', but my pride (maybe something else) is telling me not to let it go down like this. I turn a corner and I crash into a small, but firm body that knocks me down.

"Shit!"

"Ow!"

"I'm sorry." We both say at the same time. I look at who I bumped into and I immediately smile. "Baby blue!"

"What?" She says with a questioning look on her face. "Oh, its you again." She states in an amusing way.

"Isn't it funny how we keep bumping into each other?"

"Yea, like fate." She jokes as she's helping me up. "Are you alright?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I'm sorry about that…you know I never caught your name.."

"I didn't throw it." She says with a hint of a smile.

"Well, what's your name then?"

"I'll give you a hint. It's androgynous."

I shake my head and laugh, "Why are you playing so hard to get?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "Why do you want to know my name so bad?"

"You can't answer a question with a question. It's in the rule book."

"Do you follow the rules?"

"Sometimes.." It's silent again and we are both looking at each other. Those eyes of hers are so hypnotizing. I come up with an idea. "How bout this? If I run into you again, we go out for lunch. Not even dinner, so you don't have to dress up." She giggles at my bargain.

"I don't know…" She tilts her head again. "Why should I?"

I look her dead in the face and in all seriousness, I say "Because, you interest me and I would like to know more about you. I know there's more than meets the eye and..." I step closer to her and whisper, "Don't judge a book by its cover, 'baby blue'. Read a page or two of me before you assume."

I see her face get red and she bites her lip again. I guess she does that when she's nervous or deep in thought. "Hmm…I'll think about it."

I nod my head. "I'll accept that." She starts to walk off, but stops and turns slightly my way. "I'm Spencer by the way. Spencer Carlin." She smiles with her dimples showing and walks to a guy that looks similar to her.

"Nice to meet you, Spencer Carlin." I say quietly to myself. This girl is something else. I think I'm in 'like' with her already. Nothing like a bit of a challenge, right?

_"Me, I'm a Creator  
Thrill is to make it up  
The rules I break got me a place  
Up on the radar  
Me, I'm a Taker  
Know what the stakes are  
Can't roll it back, it's understood  
Got to play our cards." _

Carmen is callin me now. Perfect timing, bff.

"Hey, C. What up?"

"Yo, kid. Have you seen the fine ass women here this semester? Ay ay ay! Hey! How'd did it go with Red Lobster Ruby?"

I start to walk to Starbucks where I know Kyla is gonna ask what happened to me. Thoughts of last night and this morning run through my mind as I shake my head.

"Eh, it was ok."

"Ok? Ok? I could've had her then if she was just ok. You must be losing it. I thought the blondes were your specialty."

"Yea, when they're real blondes."

She laughs on the other end. "Aw, damn, she was a bottle babe. That sucks. How could you tell?"

"Her brazilian wax told me her real color." Carmen and I double over in laughter.

"You sure know how to pick them."

"Yup, I sure do. Oh, and thanks for driving Kyla home last night."

"Um..yea, sure, don't sweat it. Anytime."

She sounded weird when I said that, but it's probably nothing. "Hey, C. I gotta tell you about this girl I just met. Her name is Spencer." I said smiling.

"Let me guess….She's a blonde! Yay!"

"Shut up! ….And yes, she is, a real one." I think back to our encounter. "She is gorgeous, Carm."

"Gorgeous, you say? I don't remember the last time you used that…besides for yourself." She chuckles.

"Whatever, listen I gotta go. I'll tell you more about her later." I look through the Starbucks window. "Kyla is giving me death glares right now."

"Oh, well, you don't wanna piss off 'hadita'."

"Who?"

"Nothing…just a nickname."

"It better not mean something vulgar, Carm. I'll look that shit up."

"It doesn't. You can ask Kyla yourself."

"Alright, I gotta go. Hit you up later."

"Aite, bye."

I walk in Starbucks and smile sheepishly at the force that is Kyla, she's always punctual.

"Hey, sis."

"Don't 'hey' me. You're ten minutes late."

"I'm sorry," bowing my head down, then jolt it back up. "But, I believe it was worth it."

"Why? For a number and a potential roll in the sack?"

"No, no. On the contrary, Kyla." I have a shit-eating grin on my face. "A chance for an actual date." I start to light a cigarette from all the excitement when Kyla takes it out my mouth.

"Not around me!"

I sigh and mutter out, "Buzzkill." I guess I should quit smoking.. among other things...just not today.

* * *

**Sooooo, I'm done. I'm nervous bout this chapter. I also got a question for ya'll. Do you want me to write Spencer's pov next as well as Carmen's ( basically two POVs in 1 chapter)? If so, let me know. Shoutouts. Momo, thank you for the PM. :) Baley-fo-life, your review cracked me up (in a good way) I can hear your excitement. Son4life16, the reason why Spencer and her ex broke up will be in time. Don't worry. Slushhy, did I do it justice with a clash of the opposites? Seriously, I wanna know. Also, I see more people are putting this as their favorite story alert. My greatest thanks to you all for that. It makes me feel wonderful, positive reinforcement, people. I'll start right on ch. 6. Peace!**

**Songs used: I'd Rather Die Than Be Famous by Pierce The Veil; Creator by Santogold**


	6. Family Ties

**A/N-I'm posting late, I know, I know, a thousand apologies to 'youse guys'…School is taking most of my brain power and creativity, but I had enough juice to make this work. I got 5 reviews for the last chapter, I believe, which is good enough for me. =) It makes shoutouts a bit easier; which I will address at the end. Let's keep it movin'. Hope ya like this one, two POV's this time…**

**Disclaimer: South of Nowhere isn't mine. If it was, it wouldn't be suitable for a young teen network. Lol! Songs used are not mine either.**

* * *

Spencer's POV

I know it, I just know it. Glen is gonna ask me who she is. I see his grin from here. I shake my head at him. I look back one more time and see that she is still watching me with those big chocolate orbs of hers and a half smile thrown my way. I tried not to notice the color of them or stare too long…

"Hey, Glen. How was your anatomy class?" He's grinning at me hard and I sigh knowing he will interrogate me. "What?"

"Oh, you know what." He points in the direction where I just came from. "Who. Was. She?"

"She who?" I ask dumbfounded and turned to where he was pointing to. She was already gone and I can't help but to feel a tiny bit disappointed. "Is she invisible? I don't see who you're referring to." I laugh and he playfully shoves me as we walk back to the dorms.

"Stop being a smartass, you know exactly who I'm talking about. Now, who was she? Is she single? Wait! His face lit up. "Is she straight? Or bi? Hell, it doesn't matter to me." He smiles.

I roll my eyes. "I'm sure it doesn't."

"Are you gonna tell me or not?" My brother said eager to know.

"Glen, all I know is her name is Ashley and she's majoring in music, that's it."

"Oh, so, she's not in your class?" I shake my head no. "So, how did you meet her?" Quite the detective, isn't he?

"She kinda, umm, followed me." He is silent for a moment and then shakes his head. "What is it?

"That girl, the one who looks like sex in a Ramones tee and ripped jeans, followed you?"

He pouts. "Damn, why do you always get the really good-looking ones?"

"Because I have that '_je ne sais quoi_', brother." We both laugh. She did look good. Great even, but I'm not gonna degrade her like my brother just did. "She was waiting outside my class for someone, I guess. I looked at her and she looked at me. End of story."

"Uh huh.." Glen said knowing that's not all of it. "So, where did she follow you to? The ladies' room?" He winks.

"Sorry, Glen, I'm not that adventurous or gay as you to do it in a bathroom stall." I giggle.

"Hey! That was once..or twice..whatever!" We walk into his dorm room, which is a mess, I might add. How do you have plastic cups, a pizza box and boxers and t-shirts sprayed out in 3 days? Ugh, boys! "You can sit on the bed if ya want. I know it's a little messy."

I quirk an eyebrow, "A little was not the amount I had in my head."

"Yea, yea, so did the chick give you her number?"

"No."

"The other way around?"

"Nope."

"Ok, then…I'm confused."

"When are you not confused?" He throws a pillow at my head, which I duck in time. I sit on the bed. "I mean we talked in the library and she did seem interested in getting to know me or at least, parts of me."

"And what's the harm in that?"

"Glen, I'm not that type of girl and you know it. I know it's college, but still. To me, sex isn't everything."

My brother looks at me with a 'wtf?' expression. He starts up MADDEN NFL '10 and hands me a controller. Oh, Glen is about to get his ass kicked right now.

"Sex isn't everything? Are you crazy?" I shake my head at him. "As soon as I am done beating your ass in Madden, I have a babe coming over."

"It's ok, Glen, you don't have to lie to prove your point." He tries to nudge me off the bed, but fails. "You might wanna clean this place up though."

"Eh, I'll do it later." He replies flagging it off. "Look, what I'm trying to say is, I know why you're so against it." He glances at me as I concentrate on the game more. Please don't bring it up. "Just have fun."

I think about what he said for a split second. All the cute girls that we saw earlier, tanned with a beach body, some of them artificial, I can tell…but, the artificial ones are Glen's type of girls, not mine. Still, that Davies girl topped them all...even though, she might be out of my league. I'm glad we picked UCLA instead of staying close to home. Girls in winter coats isn't really a turn-on, you know.

"Can't you just have fun for the both of us?"

"I could, but I need a wingman, Spencer. You're my wingman." He smiles at me. "Aw, yes! TOUCHDOWN!" He gets up and start doing a shuffle-type dance. I don't know what the hell he's doing. Ironically, he's always had two left feet.

"Glen, it's one lousy touchdown." I replied nonchalantly. I hate to say it, but Glen brings out the competitiveness in me, which is why I do some of the silliest bets with him.

"You're just mad cause I scored." He raised an eyebrow at me as he sat back down, "Speaking of scoring… when's the last time you got some pussy?"

"Oh, Jesus Christ! Glen!." I say repulsed. "Do you have to be so vulgar?" I do not need my brother knowing the in's and out's of my sex life. It's bad enough, I know some of his. Hell, it's bad enough that he has one and mines has been non-existent since my last relationship.

"It was just a question. Geez." I made a face showing I wasn't amused. "Fine, when's the last time you made love?" He flicks his eyelashes as he asked that last person.

"I'll tell you when you tell Mom and Dad that you're bisexual." I smirk. Oh, yea, did I mention that my brother is in the closet still to our folks?

My counterattack doesn't faze him, he just whistles. "That long, huh? Tsk, tsk, you know you could be backed up and have a release at any moment. You should get in contact with that Ashley chick before you have a meltdown." I ignore his suggestion. "And for the record, I told Dad before we left."

"Really?" I say in disbelief. He just nods his head. "What did he say? How did he react?"

"He said as long as I'm happy and told me to wrap it up." Glen shakes his head. "He also gave me a whole big bag of condoms."

"That sounds like Dad, always the protector. Why didn't you tell Mom?"

"Well…honestly, I remembered how she acted with you when you came out-"

"I didn't come out, Glen. I was forced out." I stated crossly. I remember that day, as much as I like to forget it.

_*Flashback*_

"Spencer, can you come here for a minute?" I hear my mother, Paula, call out. I know that tone. That's the tone that I'm in trouble and I better get my ass to her.

I approach her nervously, I'm thinking she heard me on the phone earlier with Brittany. We have been chatting every chance we get because she's about to be moved to a base in Amsterdam. "Yes, mom?"

"Spencer," My mom said calmly, which usually means she's gonna blow up any second. "I'm only gonna ask you this one time. And I want you to tell me the God-honest truth. Understood?"

"Yes." It's silent for a moment or two while my mom walks to the window and looks out. "What's your relationship with Officer Sullivan?"

My heart just stopped. I couldn't answer her cause I lost my voice right then. "She's…um..."

My mom turns to look at me with stern, questioning eyes, "She's what?" I can feel the sweat rolling down my back.

I clear my throat. "She's my friend, mom. That's it."

She storms over to me. "What did I just say to you, Spencer? Not to lie, correct?"

I never been a good liar to begin with, but I didn't think she would find out so soon. "Brittany is my friend, Mom."

"Don't you mean more than a friend?" My mother slammed a paper and a bunch of photos into my chest. Photos of her and I together, hugging and kissing. Her hazel eyes filled with so much happiness.

"Where..where did you get these?" I asked, my voice faltering.

"Hidden in your closet. On the back shelf." My mom snorted while sitting down at her desk with a glass of scotch. "Spencer Joan Carlin, how could you? Didn't I raise you to live by God's will? With morals?"

I shook my head in disbelief as I read the paper that is addressed to my mother. It talks about me and Brittany's relationship; about how long it's been going on, how much we love each other, and how we are planning to live together in Amsterdam…all written by an anonymous sender. I look at my mother who's sipping the last of her scotch. "Who sent you this?"

"Hmmph! Someone that wanted me to know about my daughter's activities."

"Mom, listen, I know how you feel about this, but…it's who-"

"No! Don't you dare say it's who you are! Because who you are is not acceptable to me! I will not have some deviant dyke for a daughter."

"It's not who I am? You're not God and you're damn sure not a saint yourself, so don't judge me."

"I am still your mother, Spencer." She stands up and walks over to me, staring me down with cold, blue eyes. "And as long as you live under my roof, you live by my rules."

"Well, then, I guess I won't live under your roof then." I said coolly with an equal stare.

She walks to back to her desk with the paper and pictures in hand. "Either you do as I say," She starts to put them in the papershredder. "Or your 'lover' will be discharged immediately." I watch as she shreds the last of it with tears waiting to fall at a moment's notice. "I'm only doing what's best for you."

"Hey, mom! Are you cooking tonight?" I hear my brother ask as he walks in, oblivious to what's going on.

_*End of Flashback*_

"Yes, I know you were forced out…but at least Dad took it well, Spence. Didn't he get you a book on Lesbian erotica?"

"Yea, he did." I said remembering how awkward that was to accept it, but it was a nice gesture. It's weird how our parents are complete opposites on their views. "That reminds me, Glen. Where is my book?"

"..I'm gonna have to get you a new one, sis." He said sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Ew, tell me you didn't…" I tried to shake the image of my brother doing anything remotely devious with my book. "While you're buying me a new one, you should get one for you."

"Yea, I'll probably get a guy-on-guy's one. It was too romantic for me." He turns his face up in disgust. "So…are you gonna try to talk to that Ashley girl?"

I shake my head at him. "You just don't give up, do you? I just met the girl today. I probably won't run into her for awhile."

"Do you want to run into her again?" My brother looks at me sideways.

"I..I don't know."

"That's a yes."

"How is that a yes?" I retort as I score a touchdown. "Ha! What now, bro? I'm on your heels." I stick my tongue at him and he flips me the bird.

"Well, for starters, you didn't walk away from her or completely ignore her, right?"

I think back to our encounter and we did have some form of conversation. "Right. Go on."

"And you asked for her name?"

"She offered."

"Uh huh…did you give her your name?"

"…Yes..."

"And that proves my point." It's now halftime and Glen pauses the game to straighten up. He takes out the air freshener and sprays around the room like a madman. "You

wouldn't mind running into her again, admit it. Something about her got your interest."

I look down, blushing a bit. "Of course, she's beautiful."

"I mean, besides that, it must be personality-wise and shit." I roll my eyes at his extensive vocabulary but he might have a point. "Hey, how does it smell in here?"

"It smells like a college boy tryin to get laid."

"Perfect." He grins as he sprays on some Axe. Just then, his cell phone rings.

"_I know your type (your type), you're daddy's little girl. _

_Just take a bite (One bite), let me shake up your world_

_'Cause just one night couldn't be so wrong. _

_I'm gonna make you lose control._

_She was so shy _

_Til I drove her wild_."

"Hey, Cynthia. How's it goin, babe?" Glen says with his 'mack-daddy' voice, which is basically his voice an octave lower. "Sure, I'll sign you in, I'll be right down."

I walk out my brother's room with him. "I can't believe you still have that as your default tone."

"Oh, come on, I love that band."

"You like them cause they made the song, 'I Kissed A Boy'." I giggle and he rolls his eyes at me.

"And I liked it." He sings. We both laugh out loud.

"So, where did you meet this one at?"

"In the gym, I was lifting some weights and she was on the treadmill. Easy as cake." He holds up his hand for a hi-five. I just shake my head at him.

"She must not have a brain to fall for your lame-ass lines."

He laughs. "Exactly. But, there were some guys in there, too, that are questionable and they don't need lines. They just need to see this and that." He points to his face and then, his genitals. I'm so done.

"Thanks for the visual." I say with sarcasm as he ruffles my hair.

"No prob. Hey, you wanna shoot some hoops after class tomorrow?"

"You're on, Glen."

He's about to catch the elevator when he turns around and looks at me with seriousness. "Find the girl, Spence. Ask her out." I look down with uncertainty. "It won't hurt to try. Remember, we made a deal, so stick to it. Alright?"

I sigh heavily. "Ok, I'll try… but only cause we made a deal."

"Good. I just want you to be happy, baby sis." He gives me a short hug. "By the way, when you do find the girl, ask her if she has a sister for me." He wiggles his eyebrows while the elevator doors close.

I walk to my room, but second guess going in when I hear the sound of Pussycat Dolls coming from it. Madison listens to that when she's 'studying' *cough* tweeting *cough*. I found that out the hard way at 2:30 this morning. Instead, I have the sudden urge to go back to the library when I see a pair of chocolate brown eyes flash through my mind.

Carmen's POV

I must say, when it comes to women, I love them. I came out the womb with a rainbow umbilical cord. So many faces, cultures, shapes, styles, stamina. I usually just do my business with them once. It's all they need from me and that's all I want from them. Every now and then, there's an exception. Take this girl, for instance, that I'm doing a painting of.

"Kelly, can you keep still? I'm trying to get the lighting just right." I say as I paint a little more red to her portrait.

"I'm trying, Carmen, but I'm getting stiff in this position. Can't we take a break?" She says pouting.

"Fine, alright." I put my paintbrush down while she gets up and takes a look. I can't take my eyes off of her legs while she walks over. Thoughts of another round going through my mind.

"You made my boobs too big." She says with annoyance.

"Nope, I made it just how I see them." I smile widely with my hands reaching out to cup her breasts. "Hmm..maybe I need to recheck the size."

"Well, if you must." She jokingly replies "But, I have to check yours, too." She flashes me a wicked smile and we proceed into a lip-lock; both of our tongues fighting for dominance. I love to have a woman take charge of me, just as long as I can do the same. The stud females that I dealt with only wanted a one-way sexual exchange, that's not how I roll.

"Ok, ok." I pull back from the kiss earning me a groan in the process. "Do you want me to finish the portrait later?"

"Yea. How bout I draw you instead?"

"Sorry, mamita, you know I don't let anybody touch my tools." I say as I smack her ass. "You should get dressed."

Kelly chuckles, "Why? So, I can just get undressed again?" She asked as she puts her hands on my hips. "We still have time for more inspiration."

Do you ever have that one person who just feeds your appetite sexually as much as you do that person? That's how Kelly and I are to each other. We can't get enough of each other…when it comes to just that. "I would love to." I say seductively while leaning in to kiss her. I back off. "But I got other arrangements."

"Oh," she replies looking away, "More girls to fuck today, huh?" She starts to put her clothes back on. I look one last time at her scantily-clad body knowing that I won't see it for another week.

"As always." I said nonchalantly. I'm lying, of course. I don't need for this girl to know my every move. She doesn't fully the grasp the concept of 'cuddy buddies'. "Look, you doing the same thing as I am, so why does it matter?"

"Because I'm feeling you, that's why."

"That's not my problem, Kels."

"Then, why do you mess with me, Carm?"

"That's easy. Good head." I smile mischievously and Kelly is just staring me down. "Alright, fine…excellent head."

"Ugh! Girls! I don't even know why I deal with ya'll." She walks towards my door.

"Cause the sex is better here than with your boyfriend. Speaking of which.." I look at my clock "He's probably wondering where you are." That's the other problem, she's not even gay. Only when she's with me. You think I can settle with a girl that dip dives like that? Hell no!

"Fuck you, Carmen."

"You already did, twice in fact." I turn to her and she just rolls her eyes at my remark. I go over to her and give her a comforting hug. "Listen, Kelly, you already know our situation ain't gonna change, especially cause of each other's circumstances." I tilt her chin up. "It's just the way things are."

She gives me a short kiss on the lips and I know she's thinking bout what I said, this happens every once in awhile. "I'll call you later…so we can set up for next time."

She gives me a short smile.

"I'll make sure we finish what we started." I reply with a smirk. She winks and walks out of my room.

"_The boys wanna be her (The boys)  
The girls wanna be her (The girls)  
The boys wanna be her (The boys)  
The girls wanna be her (The girls)  
The boys wanna be her (The boys)  
I wanna be her  
So do you_."

"Yo, A. What's up?"

"What's up? How bout I'm starving, C." She laughs "Your milf of a mom cookin' tonight?" It's weird to hear her say that 'cause I'm a spitting image of my mother.

"You know she'd never go for you, _gringa_. You're too young."

"Tell her I can rock her world if she let me."

"Remind me to kick your ass when I see you. And when is she not cooking? She's always cooking. I was supposed to have dinner with her last week. I need to go this week before she gives me a guilt trip." I say grabbing my keys.

"Good, I'll meet you there in a half hour."

"Wait! Is your sister coming, too?" I ask. I don't mind if Kyla is with her, it's just I would like to know beforehand so my mother doesn't say anything out of pocket.

"Nah, she has a yoga class or something. She wanted me to go with her, but I passed."

"Oh..alright." I said, I find myself feeling a bit disappointed, but I'm just gonna chuck the feeling in my tummy to being hungry for some home-cooked Cuban food.

"Oh, yea, I still gotta tell you about that Spencer girl I met today."

"That you do. You can tell me when we meet up."

"Alright, lata."

30 minutes later

"So, let me get this straight." I say in my fits of laughter. "You actually followed her into the library, had some homoerotic book about men laid out on the table while flirting with her, and then, crashed into her after you followed her again?" That does it, I crack the hell up. This is so unlike my bestie.

"I know, laugh it up. But, we will see who's laughing when I have the baddest girl in L.A. in my bedroom."

"Ash, our tastes in women are a little different. I doubt she looks that good."

Ashley just stares at me like I just shat fire. "Carmen, I wouldn't have chased her if that was the case. It's just something about her and those baby blue eyes that made me want to know her."

"Yea, it's called 'woman'." She laughs and we walk into my mom's place. Yes, I still have the key, so what? My mom says I can come home anytime I want to. Free food and laundry, but I don't take advantage of it as much as I should. "Mom, I'm home."

Everything still looks the same. Pictures of me and my little brothers, my mother and father..in their happier days. We walk into the kitchen and I can just smell the spices, making me and Ashley's mouths water. My mom is busy dancing to Celia Cruz to even notice us.

"_Azucar!_-Ay, Carmenita. You scared me!" She shouted while holding her chest. "You still have keys here?"

I swung the keys around. "Of course, mom." I smile and give her a long hug. I haven't stopped through in quite awhile. I know she misses me. When she and my dad split, I was the one to come to L.A. with her. My brothers stayed with him. My mom thought they needed a male in their life. Personally, I just think she wanted to get rid of the men in our family altogether. "_Te he extrado_."

"I've missed you, too, baby." She beams while patting my hair down. How is it that moms have a way of making you feel like you're six years old again?

"Hi, Natalie." Ashley spoke up. She walked over to give my mom a hug and kiss on the cheek. Yea, my mom likes to be called by her first name, makes her feel young again or something. "You're looking beautiful as always."

"Ashley, quite the charmer still, huh? Just like your father." Ashley blushes a little. Such a kiss-ass. " Send him my love, will you?"

"I most certainly will."

"Sit down already. The food's almost done. Carmen, I made your favorite. _Pollo frito a la Criolla_ and for dessert, we have _flan de leche_." She smiled at me as she went to get the food.

"Thanks, mom. We are hungry as hell!"

"Don't curse at my table, Carmen! You know better." Ashley tries to hold back a snicker.

"Sorry, mom." I mumble, she comes in with the food. "_Gracias_."

"Thanks, Natalie."

"Oh, don't worry about it. You girls need a home-cooked meal. You're looking a little _flaca_. Don't they feed you there at school?"

"They do, but it's nothing like here, Mom."

She rubs my head. "I know, baby. I know." She sits down with us and we start eating. I sense the 21 questions are coming up. "So, how do you like your classes?"

"Good." Me and Ashley say at the same time.

"You think you will do well this semester?"

"Yup." We both say again in unison.

"Stop answering at the same time, it's too strange." We all start laughing. Damn, I miss this food. And the one that cooked it. Don't think I'm not grateful.

"Carmen, are you seeing anyone new?" My mom questioned me with a knowing eye

She asks me this every time I come over, she feels a girl my age should have a 'sweetheart'. Pssh! Her words, not mine.

"Oh, well, you know." I reply suddenly more interested in my meal. I see Ashley trying not to giggle. I cut her a glare.

"Mmhmm." She faces me. "You're still fooling around with that Kelly girl." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"_Quizas_."

"I'll take that as a yes." She sighs. "Carmen, that girl is gonna be an issue if you keep it up, _nena_. She's going to want more than you can give her."

I'm starting to get aggravated by her concern. I say nothing and keep eating. Ashley notices and speaks up for me.

"Don't worry, Natalie. Carmen is a big girl. We both are. We can take care of ourselves."

"Ay, girls, don't be afraid of love. It's a wonderful thing when you have it. Even when it goes away, a part of it is still there." My mother insists while looking off in the distance. I know she's thinking of my father. The unfaithful asshole that he is. But, what can I say? Like father, like daughter.

"Mom, please stop. I'm about to lose my appetite." I joke trying to hide that I'm uncomfortable with this.

My mom holds up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll quit it." She gets up and packs some food for us to go. "What about you, Ashley? Anyone new?"

"There's one girl. I met her earlier today. I may have a date if I play my cards right." Ashley beamed. This girl is actually serious about what she said. I'll have to ask her what's up about it later.

"That's wonderful, Ashley. Maybe, you can rub off on my Carmenita here." She winks. Ashley and I exchange looks and shake our heads. I'm not gonna point out the fact that sounded a bit sexual..Oh wait! I just did.

"It's cool, mom. I'll find someone to take home to you." I know I'm fibbing to her, but my mom is a female after all. Tell them what they want to hear and you got' em.

"Well, make sure she has a liking for food when you do." I laugh at her. She thinks all the girls she has seen me with are on the skinny side. Ironically, though, my mom is slender, even after 3 kids. "Ashley, how's your little sister doing? Is she still in Baltimore?

"Oh, she's doing fine, Natalie. She's living with me now, she transferred to UCLA."

"How nice! I guess you will be keeping an eye on her then. I know good looks run in your family." My mom smiled.

"Of course they do." Ashley smirks, but then her face turns serious. "But, you're right. I'll have to beat the guys off with a stick cause I hate to say it, she's grown up."

"No doubt about that." I murmur.

"What was that, Carmen?" My mom asks raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing. I, err, said that, 'she's gonna need a hat'." I covered while pointing to Ashley "To hide her ego-inflated head." I look down while Ashley and my mom just have puzzled looks on their faces. Way to save the day, Sanchez.

"Well, Ashley, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Kyla respects herself." She looks between us. "Unlike some other girls. Hmm.." Ashley and I laugh at her obvious comment.

"Shit!" Ashley exclaims looking at her watch. My mother looks at her with her eyes cut. "I mean, Shoot! I totally forgot. Sorry, Natalie, I gotta go get Kyla now. It's sister bonding night. Thanks again for dinner, you're my favorite cook." She gives my mom a hug and me a dap/hug combination. That's how we do things.

"You're welcome, Ashley. Bring your sister next time, ok?"

"Ok. C, text me later, alright?" She walks out.

"K, I got you." I stretch and go to leave when my mom stops me.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"I have things to do, mom." I give her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the food."

"No, you have dishes to do." I give her a look of shock. Are you shittin' me? "You think I'm gonna cook for you and your friend and be stuck with the aftermath."

"But, mo-"

"Wash them!"

I pout. "I knew it was too good to be true." I walk over to the sink and start doing as I'm told….Don't you laugh at me. I know you're laughing out there. My mother decides to help after all.

"Are you gonna take my advice, Carmen?" I say nothing "You know..Kyla seems like a nice girl. _Inteligente, bonita, simpatica_..."

"_Ella no es tortillera, mama_." I reply with a cut off. I don't need to hear this.

"Don't use that term around me, _nena_." She said sternly, her face softens. "I'm just saying, you never know. Sexuality is fluid. I remember when she used to follow you and Ashley around all the time. You really think she was following her big sister?"

I snort. "Sorry, mom, I'm still stuck on what you said about sexuality. What programs have you been watching lately?"

She rolls her eyes. "Look, Carmen. I'm just asking you to keep your eyes open. The one for you may be closer than you think." She smiles, which has always been contagious. It makes me smile.

"Alright, mom, I'll be on the lookout."

"Good. You go on ahead. I'll finish up the rest." I give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She looks at my face and she has this distant look again. "You have your father's eyes, you know."

"_Ya lo se, mama._" I hug her tighter before letting go. "_Te amo_."

"_Tambien_. Call me, alright?" I wave my hand in the air as my signal while I leave out.

I know she wants the best for me and experience love, but love gets your feelings hurt. I've seen what it can do in my own life. It's something I can't deal with right now, even if a small part of me might want to.

* * *

**And…I am done! Finally! I kept having to stop and go, bunch of assignments and tests. I hope you enjoyed this one. I will try and have the next chapter up by Friday at the latest. **

**Slushhy: Thanks for thinking I got the culture down, I didn't know if people would understand, but YAY! :).**

**JAYJAY953: I love it when the character plays hard to get also, hence why I did it that way. It's not gonna be easy for Ashley, believe me. Lol!**

**Baley-Fo-Life: I don't know why. Sometimes I wanna hit them with an obscure queer book also. You are saying glad I'm back like I am a veteran here. Hahaha!**

**Momo0424: Glad I made you smile and laugh the whole time and I'll keep the songs comin'. It's my honor. J**

**Sparkyleathers08: Ya know, for a second, I thought you were talking about another story, not mine. Lmao! I had an airhead moment. But, thank you for the review.**

**Thanks for all the love; I see more and more story alerts/ favorite stories flooding my email, so I'm truly grateful. Until next time, fanfictioners. Deuces!**

**Songs used: Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship; Boys Wanna Be Her by Peaches**

**Spanish-English translation: _Te he extrado-I have missed you. Pollo frito a la Criolla_ -_Fried Chicken Creole. Flan de leche-Milk custard (Both are Cuban dishes). Flaca-skinny. Quizas-Maybe. Ella no es tortillera-She's not a lesbian (it's actually a derogatory term, in some cases). Ya lo se-I know already. Te amo-I love you. Tambien-also._**

**French-English translation: _Je ne sais quoi-I don't know what. _**

***In case you haven't noticed I have a thing for languages, especially Spanish.**


	7. Weekend Planning

**Hello, again, fanfictioners. I realize I'm a little late. Busy week for me. I got group projects, but it seems like I'm the only one working on them. Smh. Anyways, this chapter is somewhat of a filler. But, the next chapter will definitely have everyone meeting up at once. *cheesy grin* Reviewers will get their props at the end.**

* * *

Kyla's POV

_"With your feet in the air and your head on the ground_

_Try this trick and spin it, yeah. _

_Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it._

_And you'll ask yourself_

_"Where is my mind?""_

The best thing about Yoga is that it flexes my mind, body, and spirit. It also flexes my patience because Ashley has not shut the hell up about this Spencer girl for the past few days. Baby blue this, golden tresses that blah, blah, blah! If I was talking about a guy, she would be throwing up a 3-course meal from the details. Now, I admit, spending sisterly time together has been great with the shopping, staying up watching movies, and any other semi-girly things you can think of. But, I never have seen Ashley so worked up over some girl, usually they go down on her faster than the economy… Sorry, I was listening to Lil Wayne the other night.

"So, what do you think?"

"About what?" I said while in a 'pigeon' pose. She looks at me with a glare. Guess I should've kept an ear out while I'm ranting.

"About Spencer. I mean, how should I approach her? How I came at her didn't work the way I wanted to. I gotta bump into her again without looking like-" She stopped pacing around the room to look at me. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"Does what hurt?" I asked breathing out calmly.

"What you're doing.." She sits next to me. "Your face is turning red."

"It's cause of my annoyance." I replied. "You haven't said much about anything else, except how hot Spencer is and how you need a solution to get her."

"I believe I used the word 'gorgeous'." She said leaning back, blocking the rays of the sun with her hand. "I should be annoyed with you, Ky. Why didn't you tell me she sits right next to you?"

"Why haven't you asked her out on a real date yet, coward? Since you're so interested." I know it's not her style, but if she wants her then desperate times calls for desperate measures. Believe me, my sister is desperate if she's asking me what she should do.

"Go up and ask her, she seems nice. She let me borrow a pen from her the first day. Then again, she might've been flirting with me." I smirked at her.

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever, I'm not scared. I just need time to think. And she only flirted with you because she didn't see the sexier sister." She hits me back with an equal smirk, but it fades slowly after. "…I don't know, Kyla. She didn't seem to be that open into getting to know me. I threw on the Davies charm and everything." She pouts a bit. Seeing her vulnerable side makes me feel a little weird, but I like it 'cause I don't see it often enough.

"You're just mad cause you didn't get her as another notch in your headboard, you barely got her name. She's not like those easy sleazies you're used to dealing with."

"Ugh! Don't remind me." Ashley attempts to mimic the lotus pose, but ends up keeling over. "Dammit! How do you stay in this position?"

"There are some things that you are a newbie in, Ash." I joke. "You should work on the beginning poses."

"I give you three weeks before you crack under pressure and go binge eating on Starbursts and Hawaiian pizza. She tries the pose again and falls out of it. "This shit is not working for me." She says getting up and stretching. "Ohh, maybe I do need to work out more."

"You also need to quit smoking."

"Thanks, mom. I'll get right on it." She replies with sarcasm.

"I'll remember you said that when you're hooked to an oxygen tank. You've been smoking up like a chimney since that day. Matter of fact, have you slept with anyone this past week?" I quipped.

"What? You keeping tabs now?"

"No, I just haven't heard the sounds of my sister having hot lesbian sex with some random girl, I thought there was something wrong."

"Oh, ha-ha! I can have a girl over here in the next 5 minutes if I want to. But, I have limits, you know."

"Is it the sky?"

"Shut up before I sit on your knees or something." I hold my hands up in surrender. "Let me ask you something on a serious tip."

"I'm all ears." I said standing and rolling my mat up.

"You think I have a chance with her? You know, if I deal my hand right?" Oh, man, I just see the uncertainty in her eyes and a hint of a bruised ego. It's times like this where I see my sister as one of us; the ones that are scared of rejection.

"Wow!" I shake my head.

"What?" She questions.

"What have you done with my sister? Ashley, are you in there?" I laugh as I knock on her head.

"Come on, Kyla, I'm still the same. It's just the chase is different. I...I need help."

"Fine, I think you would have a chance if you do and don't be yourself."

"Huh?"

"Don't be 'Ashley Davies, the ladies' lady'…just be 'Ashley Davies, the person'. The way I see you." A moment passes as it sinks in.

"Was that suppose to sound philosophical?"

"No." We both laugh. She puts her arms around me.

"Well, it did to me, little Buddha." She ruffles my hair. "I knew you were the smarter one."

"I'm also the more rational one. I think with the big head."

"True, true. We should get ready to head out." She suggests while heading towards the bathroom, "I would fancy a glimpse of me lady from afar." She says with a mild British accent.

"Ok, one: Stalkerish tendencies won't get you anywhere and two: no more Bend It Like Beckham for you."

"Oh, come on, Keira Knightley looked so edible kickin that ball around. Hmm…I wonder if Spencer used to play. Have you seen the legs on-"

"Stop! Just go take a shower already. Cool off." I suggest before I head to the other bathroom. Ahh, separate bathrooms. Every sister's dream.

An hour later

"Ash, come on, let's go." I said about to close the front door. She hurries down the front steps. "Your keys are on the table."

"I know, we're not taking my car." She replied while applying lip gloss. Gee, I wonder who she's trying to get all cute for.

"Why?"

"We got a ride." She said pointing to Carmen's Jeep Cherokee coming up blasting some hip-hop song out her speakers. I'm second guessing my outfit I'm wearing today, it's not showing enough of my 'qualities'.

_"Cause I am the wicked witch, I'm the Nickster._

_And I keep a bad bitch on on my Jickster_

_But I leave her in a second for a thicker_

_Rockstar little mama with a guitar."_

"How do I look?" We said at the same time. Oops.

"What?"

"Hm?"

Ashley looks at me bemused. "Are you reading my thoughts or was that a general question?"

"Uhh..I was reading your thoughts, I guess." She's still giving me the look. "You look hot, Ash. Ok?" I said giving her a smile.

"Thanks." She replied smiling back. "I may 'accidentally' run into her today. If my words aren't enough, then hopefully my body will do the talking."

"Alllright. We're done here." She laughs as Carmen honks the horn.

"Shotgun!" Ashley calls out. Damn.

"Why do you get the front seat?"

"Because I'm older. That's the hierarchy of carpooling." She grins in fake kindness, I stick my tongue out at her.

"Stop your sibling rivalry and get your asses in the car already." Carmen said. "What are you? Five?"

"It's not rivalry, C. It's just the way things are."

"Sure, it is." Carmen said rolling her eyes, she turns in her seat to me and gives me a sexy smirk. "You looking good today, Kyla. Tryin to impress somebody?"

I look down at my purple v-neck and my denim jeans with purple flipflops to match. "Uhmm..no, just my everyday wear." She laughs at my answer.

"Uhh, hello?" Ashley looks between the two of us disbelievingly. Carmen stops looking towards my way. "You don't see what I'm wearing here?"

"I see it. What you want? A compliment? You're my homie, that's what other girls are for." I stifle a laugh while Ashley playfully hits Carmen in the arm. "But, you do look nice today, too."

"I wasn't going for nice, I was going for "Damn, I wonder what she looks like without clothes." She said displaying her cut-off wife beater and her barely there skirt.

"Oh, my virgin ears." I mutter.

"You better still be."

"Better still be what?"

"A virgin."

"HA!" Ashley shoots daggers at me through the rearview. I shoot right back. "Ashley, I'll be 19."

"That's right, the girl will be 19." Carmen laughs. "So, what's the age suppose to mean?"

"That I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"That's true. A, she has a point. She can choose who she wants to screw and when, where, and what ever way it goes down."

"Let's, please skip this subject. I'm not ready to have "The Talk" with you."

"Oh, it's waaay past that." I reply with a mischievous grin.

"All of a sudden, I feel dirty." Carmen jokes. "Ok, moment's gone. So, why you dressed more sluttier than usual today?"

"Why else?" I reply "It's for Spencer." I say in a sing-song voice. Carmen and I start snickering while Ashley flagged us.

"Yea, laugh it up, bitches."

"Ash, I'm glad you're not being a pussy anymore and taking the initiative. I was getting tired of you daydreaming about those 'baby blues' as you like to put it." Carmen pulls up to the entrance of our school. "You know there's a party tomorrow night, right? A frat party. Aiden was telling me about this morning."

"Carm, once you look into them you're gonna fall into a pile of mush like I did. Just don't cockblock though. I saw her first, Sanchez." Ashley smiles widely.

"I like brown eyes more, so I doubt it." Carmen stated getting out of the car. Hmm..she likes brown eyes more, huh? "When do I ever cockblock?"

Is it cockblocking still when you're lesbians? Shouldn't it be called 'clamjamming' or something?...Why am I even contemplating with this?

"I'm just saying, C. I'm pulling out all stops on this one." Ashley says as she rolls her eyes. We both get out the car and "If that doesn't work though, guess I'll have to drown my sorrows in booze and boobs." It's weird to see my sister go from anxiety to arrogance in less than 2 hours.

"Hey! That's the spirit, Davies." She said enthusiatically with her arm around Ashley. "You coming too, Woods?"

"Of course! My first college party at UCLA. I wouldn't miss it." I beam.

Carmen and Ashley shake their heads. "Newbie." They say at the same time.

"I'll catch up with ya'll later." Ashley said walking off leaving me and Carmen alone.

"Why do ya'll say stuff at the same time? Do ya'll share a brain?" I asked giggling.

"Hell no!" Carmen exclaims, looking at me up and down with her cool gray eyes. "I'm glad we don't."

I bit my lip at the look she's giving me which makes her smirk in return. Then the thought of her just carelessly flirting and nothing else with me crosses my mind. I frown up a bit.

"You alright, 'hadita'?" She asks with a concerned tone.

"Yea, I'm fine." I walk a little quicker. "I gotta get to class. Talk to you later."

"Uhm..alright." I barely hear her say it. I started rushing to class and made it to the door and bumped into someone. "Ow! Shit, I'm sorry."

"Ah! It's ok. I'm getting used to it." I hear a girl halfway laugh. I look at the person's face and realize who it is.

"Spencer?"

She glances at me for a second. "Ashley?" Oh, so, she remembers my sister's name. This is a plus.

"No, I'm Kyla. I sit right next to you in this class." I replied while opening the door for us.

"Right! Sorry." She blushes and looks down. "I thought you were someone else."

"No problem. It's the hair. A lot of girls have this style." She looks at me for a moment, like she's studying me.

"Yea, I guess." She smiles. Hmm, Ash is right. She's hot, but I got a much, much darker haired girl on my agenda. "You brought extra pens today?" She joked as we sat down.

"Nah, actually I didn't. Can I borrow another one from you?"

"Sure." Just then, I get a text from Ashley.

-I know ur in class now. Get me sum info on 'baby blue'. Thanks, sis. ;) A.-

I roll my eyes at the nickname again. –What do you want to know? K.-

-Evrything. A.- Well, that was specific.

"So, you like the class so far?" Spencer asks.

"Yea, it's pretty cool. I know it's gonna get interesting later on in the semester."

"Yea, definitely. Are you from L.A.?"

"Nope. B-More. I visited L.A. during breaks from school, though. It's my second home.

"I'm an out-of-towner, too. My twin brother and I are from Chicago."

"I bet you're enjoying the weather then."

"Yea, but I think the L.A. sun is blinding people when they walk." She smiles shyly.

"It has those effects." I giggle. She seems more open to me. I guess cause she senses I'm not trying to get her in bed.

"Ok, class, welcome. Good morning." Prof. Anderson belts out to get our attention. "Let's get started on today's lesson on gender issues."

"You mean like that 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' crap." Some random guy calls out.

"Yeess, and it's not crap. At least, not entirely. Men and Women are from opposite worlds when it comes to relationships, especially sexual ones. How they pursue, their interaction, their motives, and what their final goals are."

"I know what my final goal is." Same random guy a.k.a. douche in a frat t-shirt calls out. God, I hope it's not his frat's party. The party! Lightbulb moment.

"Something tells me, Freddie. You havent reached any inhabitants from Venus yet. You might wanna take notes." The whole class erupted in amusement. He signals us to quiet down. "Now, class, before I go further with this lesson. I would like to talk about the assignment I'm going to give you." Half the class groans. "Now, now, don't be too upset. All it takes is a pair of eyes. I would like for you to observe the traits and the relations between the sexes at a social setting. Write down key notes that we will discuss further in this chapter. Alright?"

"Where would you like the social setting to be, sir?" A redhead asks. She looks kinda good.

"Anywhere, really. A shopping center. A coffe shop. A party." I hear a few "whoo"s in the classroom. "I thought you would like the last one. It's to be turned in by next Friday and 2 and a half pages. Now back to the…" I pretty much tune out his voice and look over to my right. I see Spencer zoning out.

"Hey, you alright? You look like you're trying to find the meaning of life." I chuckle lightly, she halfway smiles.

"No, yea, I'm fine. I just…don't know where to start." She frowns.

"Well, it sounds rather easy. We can work together?"

Spencer tilts her head at my offer. "Really?" Aww, she is adorable. No wonder Ashley wants her. That wholesome look will have her whipped if she actually stays with her. "That sounds great. When do you wanna get started?"

"How bout tomorrow night?"

"Hmm.." She puts her hand on her chin. "Well, I was gonna listen to my roommate, Madison have sexually-laced convos to whatever boy she's seeing at the moment...but, I don't wanna choke off her fumes of her nail-painting this time, so I'm free tomorrow night." We both laugh. I'm so glad I don't live in the dorms.

"Cool. There's this frat party." Her face falters a bit. "What?"

"I haven't been to a party in quite awhile, Kyla."

"All the more reason to go." I smile, she looks unsure. Come on, Spencer. I need for Ashley to stop running her mouth about not having you. "Think of it this way. We are killing two birds with one stone. Having fun and getting work done."

"Well…" Please, please, please. "Ok, sure." Yes! We in business now. "How bout we exchange numbers so I can meet you there. Is it ok if I bring my brother with me?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll be with some people too. Nobody likes to show up alone anyways."

She agreed with a nod and a smile. We exchange numbers and listen to the rest of the lecture. Like clockwork, Ashley texts me again.

-Well…INFO, PLZ. A.-

I text back with a smirk on my face. –Don't worry. I got it under control. K.-

-How? A.- Damn, she texts quick.

-You'll see. K.-

-Alright. Thx, Ky. I'll let you have a free pass tomorrow night and make out with whomever you want. ;) A.- I giggle a little.

-Lmao! Like I wasn't gonna do that anyway. But thx 4 the pass. K.-

-Lol! No prob. A.-

I close my phone and see Spencer sideways glancing at me. "Boyfriend?" She questions.

"No. Sister. She's just excited about the party, that's all."

"Party animal, huh?"

"Yea, she and her friend are for the most part."

She nods her head in contemplation. Her hair color definitely doesn't match her mental capability cause I bet the wheels are turning in her head. "Maybe, I can meet some friends of yours. My brother says I need to get out more." She adds a bit embarrassed.

"Sure, we'll rock this town." She raises an eyebrow. "While we are doing our research."

"I'm good with that." She smiles. We turn our attention back to the professor again.

I feel like I'm being a good sister helping Ashley out. I hope she actually likes Spencer and not just have her for a night or two. Although, I'm not getting that vibe from her. Now, that I have one ball rolling. I have to do me. Operation: Get Carmen Sanchez is in effect. I hope that free pass applies to anyone.

* * *

**Alright, alright, alright. I am done. Whoo! I hope ya like this as a semi-filler. I'm forewarning you about the next chapter. It will be long, it will be filled with songs, and there will be some physical activity that could be seen as mating with clothes on. Lol! Now, for the shoutouts: **

**Sparkyleathers08-I love Carmen's mom, also. I always wanted a mom like that when it came to love advice. I do have a brother like that and since I'm used to it, it rarely creeps me out anymore. Lol! Ashley's protective side will shine through when it comes to Kyla. Spencer will fall, maybe, but not in love, not yet anyways. But thank you for reviewing again =)**

**Slushhy-You're so welcome for the update. Thanks for liking the choice of songs. Spencer does have a good head on her shoulders, but feelings can rule you. That and drinks can make your tongue loose. ;) Of course, Carmen is messing with a 'straight' girl, you know if it was between her and Ashley, it be her. Just cause. Haha! Thanks for the review though. **

**Shain777-I adored your review. It was short and sweet. I know what you mean. I want them to be the badasses with a heart of gold when they have the right woman. You're right. I have been reading a lot of stories. I only see a gay/bi Aiden, but never Glen. I wanted to change it up again. Thank you. =)**

**Sonfan92-I'm doing the best I can with my schedule. But the next chap will have you laughing in delight. Thanks for the review.**

**Baley-fo-life-Yes, Kymen are cute, but Spashley are sexy, gorgeous, hot, whatever word you wanna use that's better than cute. They may run into each other or…grind into each other. Lol! Who knows? ;)**

**Momo0424-Thanks. I love knowing I have bomb ass chapters, son! Lmao! I know right? Languages are the best. Even if a girl doesn't speak a foreign language fully, but has the accent down. *shakes head* She might see my 'O'-face. j/k. **

**Alright, till next time, peoples. Take care. Songs used: 20 Dollar by M.I.A.; I Get Crazy by Nicki Minaj**


	8. Saturday Night Fever pt 1

**Sorry for the delay fanfictioners; you know and I know that school is my weakness. But, hey, I'm making them A's and B's, right? So, I got 9 reviews for a semi-filler chapter more people adding my story on their alerts. I luvs it. Come flock to me, fanfictioners. =) Ok, you ready for this?**

**I'm not wasting anymore time here. Crack a bottle & let's get it. **

**Disclaimer: SON is not mine; but what happens in here is…**

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Ashley's POV

"Nope…Uh-unh…Definitely not." I sigh out loud. For two reasons. One, so many clothes but nothing to wear and two, because my nerves are anything but calm tonight; they are on an energetic, anxious wave. I just need to ride it out cause Ashley Davies doesn't get nervous, you hear me? "Kyla!" I yell at the top of my lungs even though her room is right next to mines.

"You shrieked, madam?" Kyla jokes, then her eyes bug out from the sight of my room. "Damn, it looks like H & M had a war with Hot Topic in here."

"You. Help. Please?" I can only giving her one-word sentences. She kicks a few clothes out the way to make a path. "Hey!"

"Sorry, I couldn't see the ground." She replies chuckling and surveys the clothing on the floor and my bed. "So, what do we have here?" She picks up a WNBA jersey. When the hell did I buy that? It must be Carmen's.

"I'm out of options. I need something that says 'do me' but also 'let's go grab dinner and a movie'."

"Oh, god. You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes. Any suggestions?"

"Nope." She answers with a nonchalant look. She turns to walk out, but I stop her.

"Woah, woah, what? You got nothing?" I ask in disbelief. Kyla always has something to say. "I mean I need female input here. I know you're straight, Kyla, but you'll have to do." I laugh a little, she looks at me with distaste.

"I'm not helping you, Ashley. And do you know why?" You didn't even show up after my class. You bailed on what you said you were gonna do. So, why should I help you get a nice girl like her if you can't stick to your own shit?" She rants. Who the hell does Kyla think she is? Did I miss something here?

"Look, Kyla, I can explain about yesterday. I had to rehearse after class. Why are you getting all worked up about it?" Ok, so I didn't have a rehearsal. I was 'preoccupied' with that girl with the apple bottom in my class…only making out..I ran out of smokes and I needed to calm my nerves, flashes of blue eyes made me stop before it got out of hand.

"It's just that…I like Spencer, ok? After class, we talked for awhile. I found out some things about her life. She can be open to a person when they don't have a sexual agenda on their mind." She says narrowing her eyes at me, I shrug it off.

"What did she say? Did she mention me?" I asked hopefully.

"Besides her thinking that I was you when we bumped into each other? No." I look down, a bit sad. "But, she's not stupid, Ash. If you just want what you want from all girls, then don't try to have her is the best advice I'm giving you right now."

"You're gonna rain on my parade right before a party, Ky? That's not cool." I snap. I see a white lace bra sitting out. Hmm…that would look cute with the black vest our dad got me on his tour.

"Ash, I'm serious. I don't want to be sitting next to her after you're done with her..just like you did with my friend, Rachel."

"Kyla, we were like what? 13-14? French kissing doesn't count as commitment. She should've known that." I stated picking out a pair of skinny jeans and some black heels. I think I'm gonna wear my hair up tonight.

"And you shouldn't have gone there with her. She wouldn't speak to me after that." She folds her arms. Is she really gonna hold me over something so small?

"Is that what this is about? Look, I'm sorry about what happened back then. But, it's different now."

"How?" She quirks an eyebrow. "Cause Spencer turned you down the first time." I shake my head as I turn away from her to put my clothes on. It's Kyla, so it doesn't matter. "All I'm saying is I don't want another repeat."

"It won't, Kyla." I said looking her dead in the eyes, she looks back to see if I'm lying. "I wanna get to know her..in the non-biblical sense. I'm just.." I sigh. "I'm just new to all this."

It's a still quiet for a moment. Kyla nods her head in satisfaction. "Alright, fine. Let's stop talking about the past, concentrate on the now. We need to head out soon." She walks out, but not before picking up a pair of black shorts that could also pass for underwear. "You mind if I borrow these?"

I point a stern finger at her. "You are not wearing those." I look at myself in my attire. Damn, I look good. Hell, I do me with the heels on. Is it me or did that just sound uber-gay?

"Oh, yes, I am." She said pointing back with fake sternness. "You said I have a free pass tonight."

"To fool around with someone, not to get molested." She laughs, but I'm quite serious. You know how these types of functions go down. "Put on a hoodie and some trackpants."

She just waves me off. "And make sure you get your own drink, don't take any offers!" I call out.

"Gotcha!" She answers back. I'ma have to keep a close eye on her tonight if she's wearing that. Maybe a leash.

"Alright…so, what did she tell you?"

"Who?"

"Who do you think? Spencer." We're driving to the party now. Carmen said she's already there with Chelsea and Aiden. I know Kyla is gonna drool over that muscle-bound prettyboy. Ick! Men.

"Oh. Her."

"Yeah, her." I chuckle.

"I'm not telling you anything. That's for her to tell you, not me." Oh, she wants to play this game now?

"Fine. Don't tell me. Your free pass is getting revoked. I'm cockblocking you all night." I warn. She just rolls her eyes.

"I don't need a pass to do what I want. But I will tell you one thing that's funny after this." Kyla shows me a text from Spencer confirming that she, her brother, and her roommate would be there soon, too. Yes! Everything is falling into place. Where's the Black Eyed Peas when you need them? Cause tonight's gonna be a good night. "Are you singing in your head again?"

"Huh?" I reply. My cheeks turn pink.

"You're so excited. Like a kid going to Disneyland." She grins, I grin back even more.

"Of course, aren't you? It's your first UCLA party. Guys and whatnot." I flag the last bit off, Kyla ends up laughing.

"Your enthusiasm on the last part amused me." She says sardonically. "Anyways..speaking of guys," I mouth 'whatev' when she says this. "Spencer.." Oh! My ears are perked up now. "Has a twin brother who just so happens to be in the life." Wait a minute..What?

"Huh?" I ask dumbfounded

"Stop saying 'huh', Ash." She giggles. "Don't you watch LOGO channel? I shouldn't be up on the terminology more than you."

"Of course, I watch LOGO. Bad Girls and RuPaul's Drag Race are my favorites." I wonder if Raven is gonna win this season.

"Well, then you should know what I mean when I say 'in the life'."

"He's a tranny?"

"Nooo..." Kyla says obviously frustrated. "He's bi."

"Really? Damn. The whole family is living in Technicolor, huh?" She giggles. "What are the odds?"

"Well, technically, if you're twins and one's gay there's like a 50% chance that the other one will be, also. Even if you're not twins, it's still a moderate chance." I'm a little weirded out that she knows all this. She's such an egghead.

"That's wild. I don't think I can handle having a bi sibling."

Kyla looks down. "Why not?" She asks with a meek tone. "It's not like you would be homophobic about it." Why is she even asking me this?

"No, I wouldn't. It just be unusual, I guess." I say unsure. I don't really have a direct answer for her. "Besides, they would be getting twice the action. I would feel some type of way." I laugh at my own joke, but Kyla is just shaking her head and looking out the window.

"Not every bisexual dates both genders at the same time, ya know." She speaks up after a moment.

"Well, you find me one that doesn't and I'll personally shake his or her hand because Carmen's fuck buddy definitely is the walking stereotype."

Kyla shocked face makes me shut up about it. Maybe telling her about me and Carmen's liasions is a little too much for her ears.

Shhh! Shhh! Can ya hear it? No? But, I bet ya can feel it. The bass of the music pumping the adrenaline of the swarm of intoxicated, impressionable, lust-filled young adults. Picture it: A mass of sweaty bodies swerving and keeping up with the tempo, holding their cups of liquor like it was nectar, scheming squirrels trying to get their next nut. In other words: a college party. Only thing that's missing is streaking, a fight, and someone blacking out; but, the night is still young.

_"Shots! Patron's on the rocks and I'm ready for some shots!_

_The women come around everytime I'm pourin shots!_

_Their panties hit the ground every time I give 'em shots!_

_So, cups in the air, everybody, let's take shots!"_

"Kyla, welcome to the big leagues, kid." I yell over the music, grabbing her wrist in the process. I ain't trying to lose her in this crowd.

She looks around. "Holy shit! It's a lot of people here." I see some guy in a button up and sandals wink at Kyla. She smiles at him when he approaches her.

"Hey!" He says smiling at Kyla. "You wanna dance, babe?" She looks down

"Back off!" My sister looks at me like I'm nuts. I don't care, she can do better than a guy that bathes in AXE body spray. Haven't I taught her anything?

"Easy, baby, I'll get to you next." The guy with no fashion sense says to me while still keeping an eye on Kyla.

Say what? Who does he think he is? "Excuse me? I oughta rip your nu-" I didn't get to finish because Kyla is dragging me off, but I bet you could figure out the ending.

"Jesus! What is your problem, Ashley? He was just asking me for a dance." Kyla looks at me with anger. "You can't protect me from every boy at this party." I avert my eyes back to the guy, already talking to some bimbo.

"I can sure as hell try."

"I thought you wanted me to have fun, you're not making it fun for me." She sulks. She's right. I do want her to have fun, but I don't want her to become some guy's play thing.

"I'm sorry, it's just my nerves tonight, sis. Come on, let's go get some drinks."

We walk into the kitchen where there is like 20 people huddled around the various poisons cheering a beer pong match on. We see Carmen playing Aiden. Aiden is losing horribly.

"I quit." Aiden says in defeat. His face is red and he has his shirt unbuttoned. "Aasshhhh, heyyyyy!" He comes over staggering pulling me into a bear hug. I think I just felt his hand on my ass. Ew! "You made it! And you brought.."

"Kyla," My sister introduces herself, showing off her pearly whites. She looks him over, stopping at his abs; he does the same. Told you she would like him. "I'm Ashley's sister. And you are?"

"I'm yours if you want me." He replies in what he thinks is smooth talk; his green eyes dancing. "But, you can call me Aiden. Care for a drink?" I'll admit he has the tall, dark, and handsome going on…he's a player, but at least he's a gentleman too.

"Don't worry, quitter. I have some drinks for them." Carmen says pulling me into a dap/ hug. "Glad you finally made it, A. A party ain't a party without my right-hand woman." She turns to Kyla and whistles. "Ay ay ay! I can't believe Ashley let you out the house with those shorts on, Ky." She gives Kyla a long, tight hug. "But goddamn, I'm glad." She whispers the last part and I see Kyla's cheeks turning pink, cheesing like a schoolgirl.

"Hey! I heard that." I narrow my eyes at Carmen. Carmen can get more flirtatious than usual when she's been drinking. It doesn't matter the girl, as long as it's something about her that turns her on…Hold up! Is she turned on by Kyla right now? "Hands off!" I break up their hug and she stumbles a bit. "How many drinks have you had?"

"None." She holds up a small cup. "Just a shitload of these cherry bombs." I shake my head. That's what she calls red jello shots, whether they are cherry-flavored or not. "Come on, let's all take a shot."

"Fuck yeah!" Aiden screams like an idiot as we each get a jello shot. Tool. "What should we toast to?"

"To booze!" I declare

"To babes!" Aiden says, winking at my sister. Carmen gives him a thumbs up.

"To boys!" Kyla announces smiling back at Aiden. Carmen and I give each other a revolted look. Breeders.

"To Barack Obama!" Carmen proudly affirms wrapping it up. I don't know why, but we are toasting to the president, too.

"Cheers!" We all say in unison. Now all that's missing is 'baby blue'…

Spencer's POV (45 minutes later) 

We get to the party later than I thought we would. I had to wait for Madison to get a shower, shave her legs, pick an outfit, curl her hair, and then cake her face up with a foundation that doesn't even match her color. I thought my brother took long, but she is ridiculous.

"Trust me, Spencer you're gonna love this party. The Thetas always know how to throw down." She said walking a little ahead of me, my brother has her arm around her. She's wearing something that resembles a cheerleading outfit. It's that revealing.

"I bet." I say while wrapping my arms around myself. If you haven't guessed it, parties aren't really my cup of tea. Glen used to make me go clubbing with him all the time and I just stood there like a wallflower while he had some random people grind on him. Don't get me wrong, I can dance. It's just that I feel like everybody is watching me.

"Spence, how many numbers do you think you're gonna get tonight?" Glen asks from the front.

"Probably too many to handle." Madison replies and smiles. "She's looking hot tonight. A bunch of Katy Perry's are roaming in there.." Glen and I laugh. Ok, so I gave Madison the opportunity to choose my outfit. Basically, I look like a naughty librarian topped off with a loose tie. She thought it would give me the shy, yet sexy look.

"Well, I'm not trying to be somebody's experiment." I roll my eyes.

"Who cares as long as you're getting some." Glen added. My silence told him I wasn't amused. He let go of Madison and walks back with me while she walks in. "Please, Spencer, lighten up tonight and just have fun."

"I'm here for research." I answered. He wasn't convinced.

"Ha! Yea, right! That's not the only reason." He winks and I look down trying to hide my smile, my brother can see right through me. "I bet she's in here."

"Who?" I ask even though I know exactly who he's talking about.

We walk in and the fumes of 1,000 fragrances mixed with sweat, weed, and alcohol waft through my nostrils. Oh, God! It's definitely been awhile for me.

"Whoo! Yea! Toga, toga! Tog-" Glen starts fist pumping. I see Madison already dancing with some guy that looks like a fake Kanye.

"Would you shut the hell up? It's not a toga party, dumb ass." I put his arm down. As soon as I say it, a guy comes running past us in a bedsheet. Fuck my luck.

"You see?" He says pointing with a smug look on his face. "I know my parties. There's always a guy in a toga."

"Oh my God! Spencer! You made it!" I hear Kyla screech. A voice like hers is kinda unique. That and she's the only person I've made friends with so far. "I'm so glad you're here." She said smiling, her eyes a little glazed over. Looks like someone's a bit tipsy.

"Can't breathe." I said struggling for air.

"Oops, sorry." She looks at Glen, smiling mischievously at my brother. . "You must be Glen." Oh, great.

"So, my sister has mentioned me. I hope it's good things." He said looking between Kyla and I. "She sure has mentioned you though, Ashley." She gives him a blank stare and then bursts out laughing.

"Glen!" I said whispering, embarrassed that he even mentions her. "That's not her."

"Ok, I know I'm not drunk yet, but it looks like her." He turns back to Kyla. "I mean she is one hot tamale." He gives her a lop-sided grin that some girls think are cute.

"Well, that's because good looks run in our family." I hear a raspy voice say. We all turn and there's the girl that I have been going back to the library for since our first encounter. I turn towards the voice and I am met with the chocolate brown eyes that have been invading my thoughts for the past few days. She gives me a half-smile. "Hello, again, baby blue."

I'm speechless. My mouth is probably open right now out of shock, but it closes when Glen nudges me. "Um...hi." I say in a shaky breath. Her smile gets wider; she probably thought I wouldn't speak to her.

"Hi, I'm Glen. Spencer's twin. And you are hot." Yes, I think we established that, Glen.

She laughs a little uneasy. "Thanks for the compliment." She looks at me. "So is your sister." She says looking me up and down slowly. Normally, I would be offended if it was anyone else, but I guess since it's Ashley, it's not that bad.

"*cough* Too much. *cough*" Kyla whispers audibly; which is basically an oxymoron.

"Sorry." Ashley says to her sister, she looks back at me with sincerity. "You look beautiful tonight, Spencer."

"Thanks." I say softly as I feel my face heat up. "Same to you."

It becomes silent and a tad awkward for a moment as all of us look at one another. I can't believe Kyla didn't tell me that Ashley was her sister. I mean I guess she didn't know it was the same Ashley as I thought, but it is! I should've known. What if this was a set-up?

Another song comes on. Some song with Lil Jon and Pitbull. I think it's 'Watagata-something or other. That doesn't matter, what matters is sensing Ashley's gaze on me. Although I'm feeling quite nervous right now, I don't mind it.

"Well," Kyla says breaking the silence. "I feel like dancing." She eyes my brother. "Feel like dancing, blondie."

"Sure, I'm down." She grabs his hand and heads to the dancefloor. He mouthed 'so hot' to me. Maybe I should've warned Kyla to watch her toes.

It's silent again. She takes a sip of her drink as I look anywhere but her eyes, suddenly feeling like I'm under the microscope. She's about to speak when a raven-haired girl jumps on her back, spilling her drink in the process..

"Watagatapitusberry! Que lo que significa watagatapitusberry?" The girl shouts/slurs.

"Damn, C. Get off of me! You made me spill my cup!" Ashley yells annoyed and probably, embarrassed.

"Ooh, touchy, touchy. I'm sorry, A. Yo, do you see how many '_yales_' are in here. I've already received like 3 offers on..Oh, hello." The raven-haired said to me with her aviators on. "I'm Carmen." She announced licking her lips.

"Carmen, don't." Ashley said in a warning, slightly threatening tone. "This is Spencer, C. Spencer, this is my best friend, Carmen."

"Nice to meet you." I said holding out my hand.

"Likewise." She takes my hand and is about to kiss it when Ashley brushes her hand away forcefully. They share a look with each other. Are they speaking with their minds? "Wait a minute." She said astonished and then smiles. "You're the Spencer." What? The Spencer?

"Excuse me?" I tilt my head in confusion.

"Oh, shit. Is that the head tilt you were telling me about?" Head tilt? I don't do a head til-oh, nevermind. "Is this your 'baby blue'?" Carmen asks Ashley, while pointing to me. Oh, she must've told her about me. Hmm, that's interesting to know. What else did se say?

Ashley looks like she's about to blow a fuse. The emotion looks pretty good on her.

"Carmen, get the fuck outta here and go dance with somebody." She suggests pushing her to the multitude of people burning their fabric with the close friction.

"I don't wanna." She looks over to where Kyla and Glen are dancing, well Kyla is dancing, Glen is just trying to keep his moves up and his libido down. Ugh!. "Yo, who's the goldilocks kid that Kyla is dancing with?"

"My brother. Why?" I said getting defensive.

She pauses and shrugs her shoulders still watching them. "Just asking." She turns back to us. "Well, I'll leave you girls to your activities." She grins, nudging Ashley in the process. "She's sexy as shit for a blonde, kid." I think that was suppose to be a whisper, but it came out loud as hell.

Ashley sighs and runs her fingers through her hair. I didn't notice she had auburn highlights, but they suit her well. "I'm sorry about that." She starts.

"No, hey, it's cool. You met my brother, so I think we're even." I assure her with a smile. She smiles fully and I realize her nose crinkles when it does. It's kinda…adorable.

"So…"

"So…you're Kyla's sister." I smirk.

She laughs lightly. "That I am. Surprise."

"You know.." I step closer to her and I see her eyes widen for a split second before settling into their calm stage again. "If I didn't know any better, I would think this was all planned."

She scoffs. "Oh, come on, Spence. I'm not that stalkerish." Spence? Hmm...I like it. It sounds cool with her sultry voice.

"Mmhm." We both laugh at the obvious. I admit, this takes balls to do. I can't help but to feel a bit flattered.

"So, umm…do you wanna walk me to get another drink since Carm ruined mines?" She asked with hopeful eyes.

"Sure." I said with no hesitation. Surprising I think both of us. She delicately grabs my hand and it's so warm. She's probably overheated from the dancing. I see Madison now dancing with a dark-haired guy with his shirt unbuttoned. She'll probably have plans with him tonight; hopefully he has his own place.

"What kind of drink do you want?" Ashley asks, already making her own.

"I..I don't really drink." I say a bit uncomfortable. I have the tolerance of a 12 year old when it comes to liquor.

"Oh." She says falling silent. "Well, do you want me to get you a cranberry juice?" How considerate of her. The butterflies are starting to come alive as I look from her eyes to her lips down to the sharp 'V' of her bra, maybe a drink would settle my nerves down.

"You know, on second thought, I think I'll take a Bahama Mama."

She smirks. "I knew you were an alchie. One Bahama Mama coming up, 'baby blue'.

I grin at her little nickname. Old feelings start to stir within me and a flash of hazel eyes is impairing my vision. No! Not now, not tonight. I look down. Ashley doesn't miss a beat.

"Are you aright?" She asks troubled

I shake my head and connect my eyes with her. I hear her breath hitch a little when I realize how close we are. "I'm fine. Really."

She gives me a toothy grin. "Cool. One Bahama mama for you and one Screaming Orgasm for me." She smirks in a sexy way. Can smirks be sexy? I guess they can on her. "To new beginnings." She says locking her gaze on me.

"New beginnings." I say shyly. We toast and she drinks her down in two gulps. I guess I'm not the only one with nerves. I take a big swig and realize there's a lot more alcohol than usual. Or maybe it's just me.

"Whoa!" I inhale a deep breath to steady my heartbeat. "Are you trying to get me wasted?" I ask half-jokingly.

She giggles and it's like music to my ears. "No, Spencer, I'm not. I just have a heavy pouring hand. Sorry." She says apologetically.

"It's fine." I place my hand on hers and she instantly gives me a nose-crinkling smile. "It's been awhile for me."

"I see." We fall into a comfortable silence, which is actually not as bad as it seems.

"Ooh, hey, beautiful." I hear a girl's voice behind Ashley. She turns around and looks back at me.

"Fuck." She mutters under her breath.

"What happened to you the other day, sexy?" The dark-skinned girl with bad extensions asked wrapping her arms around Ashley. Who in the hell is she? "You just ran off."

Ashley pushes the girl away "I had plans."

The girl looks at me and rolls her eyes. Who the fuck does she think she is? I feel myself starting to get upset and Ashley notices. "Anyways, I just wanted to know if you cared to dance."

Ashley thinks for a moment and then smiles brightly. "Sure." She replies. My mouth drops. She turns to me with the smile still on her face. "Spencer, would you like to dance with me?" What did she just ask me? The girl a.k.a. bitch with bad extensions is standing there now with a shocked, pissed off look.

I tilt my head at the gesture. "I would love to." I said accepting Ashley's hand.

"You can make your own drink if you want." Ashley calls out to the girl.

"Fuck you, Ashley." The girl spits in anger. As we are walking to the dancefloor, Ashley looks at me with guilt. "I'm sorry about that."

"No problem. Ex-girlfriend?"

"Uhh…no. Just a girl I know."

I nod my head in understanding. "Is there a lot of girls you..know?"

She smiles slightly. "Not as much anymore." Her chocolate browns are lock with mye eyes again. "Just one I would like to know." I smile a little. The music changes up to an island song that I haven't heard before. "In time." She comes closer to me and she senses my hesitation. "What's wrong? You can't dance?"

"No. It's not that. It's been awhile." I reply in a regretful tone. I should've practiced my moves before I left my dorm.

"Well, it's alright. I'll lead." She winks at me. I just nod my head and smile.

We start off six inches apart, but because of the crowd. We get closer sooner than I wanted to. Ashley is facing me and she places her arm around my back, bringing me closer. She smells delicious like citrus and coconut and a little bit of her own scent, like a tropical dream. I think this alcohol is hitting me sooner than I thought. The dim lights show off her glistening tanned skin and I feel her warmth again as I wrap my arms around her neck; her chocolate brown eyes turning darker as the song goes on.

_"I've got to have you, eh eh  
Got to hold you, oh oh  
I've got to squeeze you  
I'm longing for your love girl  
I've got to have you, eh eh  
Got to hold you, oh oh  
I've got to win your heart_

_You set my soul on fire. _

_You set my soul on fire."_

I try not to make eye contact and not listen to the words of the song, but the way her body is syncopating with mine is making it difficult. I look around and realize a bunch of guys' stares are on us from all sides. Perverts.

"Um, Ashley, do you realize that a bunch of dudes are staring us down?" I ask a little uneasy.

She glances at them and shrugs; she pulls our lower bodies closer so that there's very little room between us. "We're two hot women dancing to Soca music." She replies with a sexy grin. "Of course, they're gonna watch. I would, too."

I laugh at her nonchalantness. I like this version of her better. The cockiness was a bit of a turn-off. She starts swaying her hips so we move to the backbeat of the song. I can't help but to have a naughty thought or two run through my mind. She just moves so..sensual.

"I think your eyes are getting darker, 'baby blue'. Is the alcohol taking effect?" She jokes with a smirk on her face.

Oh, something is taking effect, alright. But, I don't think I can blame it on the alcohol.

"It's giving me a buzz." I fib cause I have to, I need to.

She stares at me for a moment and tugs on my tie to bring me closer. "Well, I guess I have to hold you up then." She whispers dangerously close to my ear, my weak spot. I know she heard my breath hitch.

"Yup, guess so." I answer with a shaky breath. Oh, get it together, Spencer.

"Do you know why I call you 'baby blue'?" She asks keeping her eyes locked on mine.

"Nope, not a clue."

"Because the color of your eyes was the first thing I noticed about you." She says blushing a little. Awwww! It makes me blush, too.

"Thank you." I reply honestly. "You have beautiful eyes, also." I say, even though I meant to keep that thought in my head.

"Thanks." She smirks. "You know that's the first compliment you have given me."

"Well, I didn't think you needed one." I smirk back.

"I guess I don't when your body is complementing mine right now." Oh, she's good. Damn these lines.

The music starts to fade as Dutty Wine starts to play. It's a little too fast for my taste.

We straighten out our attire and try to regroup from our forbidden dance.

"I'm assuming you don't wanna dutty wine, huh?" She chuckles.

"No, I think I'll pass." I reply as I laugh along with her.

Her laughing stops as she gawks at something past me, her face going from shock to anger, then blank as she looks back at me.

"Hey, umm, do you wanna get some fresh air? Maybe take a walk with me?"

I can tell she saw something she didn't like, but I'm nott gonna ask. "You're not gonna serenade me during our walk and woo me into bed, are you?" I ask trying to lighten the tension.

"No, no." She said laughing. "At least not tonight, Spence." Her warm eyes fixated on mines. I don't know whether to take her seriously or not. But, I do know one thing though; at this moment as she takes my hand and the cool night breeze hits us, I know I would walk anywhere she'd want me to. Question is: Is that good or bad?

* * *

**Alllrighty! I'm leaving it like this cause I want some type of cliffhanger, but don't fret because I am posting part 2 with Carmen and Kyla's POV no later than Wednesday afternoon. Scout's honor. I enjoyed writing this, hope you enjoy reading it. R&R, por favor.**

**Replies to the reviews: **

**Full-of-Ink-Go ahead and use it. Let it spread out like a pair of legs. I honestly came up with that word off the top of my head Hahaha! Thanks for the review.**

**Slushhy-I love the sisterly bond as well, I know how it feels to have half-siblings and I want it to be a little like mine. Everyone in the story is gonna be whipped in some form or fashion. ;)**

**Sparkyleathers08-I was just joking with you in the last reply to your last review, but yea, I get what you're sayin. I guess you will found out about your other question in the next chapter...since the first one was already answered in this one. Lol!**

**Degrassi1son-It's Kyla's pass, so Kyla's decision. Ashley won't like it either way cause it's her 'baby sister', but ahh who cares? You'll see. =)**

**Momo0424-If you're talking about Carmen or…Spencer, Ashley, Kyla…then yes, they most definitely would. Hahaha! I have an ex who can speak in a French accent, still gives me chills just thinkin bout it…where was I? ;) That's quite a coincidence that you were listening to Minaj. Weird. Anyways, tell me if you like these songs. **

**Simplet77-I believe you're new to reviewing. Thank you for being interested. I hope ya liked the chapter. =)**

**SON4Life16-Of course, the operation will work. Do you see how hot Kyla is? Lol! Oh, yea, Ashley is so far gone, but she retains some of her swag. Don't worry. **

**Ladytink2011-Thank you for the review, my newest reader. I've been told this story is like crack. Hahaha! Hopefully, I can keep you on a Spashley and Kymen-induced high. =)**

**Shain777-Thank u for being my 57th review. It's greatly appreciated. I'm getting the feeling more people are excited about Kymen than Spashley. It's tough to make them equally enticing. As far as Glen, in my story, his bisexuality will flourish. Count on it! Lol!**

**Songs Used: Shots by LMFAO feat. Lil Jon; Watagatapitusberry Remix by Pitbull, Black Point, Sensato, El Gata and Lil Jon; Soul On Fire by KMC; and Dutty Wine by Tony Matterhorn.**


	9. Saturday Night Fever pt 2

**As promised, here is Saturday Night Fever pt. 2, last time I checked I had 7 reviews (I keep changing the number as it changes). Thank you so much for the reviews, it makes me wanna dance (*starts wu-tanging*) lol! Anywho, I'll answer reviews by PM this time. Take a shot of this! :)**

**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure you know this by now…**

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Kyla's POV

"Look! Look! There's another one. Drink!" Carmen yells. We each take a gulp of our drinks in hand. Chelsea, Aiden, Carmen, Glen and I are playing this game where we take a drink when we see a girl in Uggs and a skirt, apparently there's a lot of them.

"I don't get it. It's 70 degrees outside. What's the point of wearing Eskimo boots if you're wearing a slip of clothing barely covering your ass?" Chelsea asks rhetorically, putting her drink down. "I'm done for tonight."

"Wimp." Carmen nudges Chelsea and she stumbles a bit.

"Stop trying to knock me off balance, Carm." She said giggling.

"Because it's stylish." Aiden stated out of nowhere, looking at his glass in interest.

We just stare at him before we burst out in laughter. Where did that come from?

"Ha! You would say that." Chelsea added.

"Why? Why would you think I say that?" Aiden asks with a pout.

"This is coming from a guy that wore those damn glasses with the shades built on them."

"Hey, that was the style." Aiden yelled defensively.

"For 3 months, Aid. Come on now. It was even worse when you wore the double pop-collar." Carmen said while drinking from her other cup, she was on the jungle juice.

"Dude, you wore the double pop-collar?" Glen asked with a mixed look of shot and horror on his face. "You're lucky you're hot." He adds under his breath.

"What?" Aiden asks with a confused face.

"What?" Glen looks alarmed, he takes his cell out of his pocket. "Uh..Be right back. I gotta take this call." He rushes out to the backyard. That's funny, I didn't hear it ring.

Aiden just shakes his head and walks back out on the dancefloor, I see him talking to Spencer's roommate, she's in my English lit class.

"Whew! That was a close one." Carmen states.

"What was?" Chelsea asked

"Goldilocks almost outing himself." She answers taking a sip of her drink, she makes a face. "He practically wanted to eat Aiden alive, you ain't see the look?"

"You mean the same look that you give every girl at anytime? Including at this party?" Chelsea quirks an eyebrow and I look at the interaction between the two of them.

"Exactly." Carmen beams, she looks at me, her aviators showing a reflection of myself. "Another drink, hadita?"

"No, I'm good." I said holding up my half-full cup. I shake my head when I see the reflection of the aviators concentrate on my breasts. She's such a guy.

Chelsea whistles to catch Carmen's attention. "Her eyes are up here, Carmen."

Carmen gives Chelsea an annoyed glance. "Thank you, Chelsea for giving me the direction I wasn't going for." Chelsea and I giggle at her irritation. "Why don't you go help Sean with the music or whatever? I know he's the one spinnin."

Chelsea looks between me and Carmen with a playful smirk. "Alright, alright. Don't get into trouble now." She points to Carmen. "Especially, you."

"Love you too, Chels." She walks out and now, it's just me and Carmen. I look at what she's wearing, a dark gray hoodie vest and light jeans with matching SB dunks. I see how her bangs are bobbing to N.E.R.D.'s Lapdance. She has pretty hair. I always liked her hair; so shiny and dark. God, let me put this drink down.

"You enjoying your first UCLA party, Kyla?" Carmen asked after a moment without looking at me.

"Uh, yea…It's a lot goin on." I answered. The question came out of nowhere. Another moment passes between us.

"Yea.." Carmen scans everybody in the room, everybody but me. "These things can get preeeetttty out of hand." We see a girl with her top off straddling a guy, someone better have a condom between the two.

"I can handle it." I step in front of her view. She looks me up and down with a smirk on her face.

"I'm sure you can, Kyla." She bites her lip playfully. "You know, that's a really nice outfit you're wearing."

I laugh at her repetitiveness. "Thanks, I think I got it when you said something about that earlier tonight."

"Did I?" Carmen asks. She starts walking around me in a circle, like she's studying me. "I didn't notice." I roll my eyes at her as she goes back to her normal posted-up position.

"I saw you dancing with Goldilocks earlier." Carmen says nonchalantly, yet I see her glance at me from the side.

"You're very observant."

"I also saw that he has two left feet. That sucks. I hear a guy who can't dance can't do other things."

"Hmm..does the same thing go for girls?" I question her with an arched eyebrow.

"I wouldn't know. I never had that problem." Of course, she hasn't. She turns to me and whispers in my ear with her sultry, low voice. "But, why don't you go and ask the 12 girls that I've danced with so far? See if they say anything different." Kyla, whatever you do, don't shiver at the close proximity. Be confident.

"I rather find out for myself." I say with certainty smiling at her with my eyes. 'Smizing', thanks Tyra for teaching me that.

"Are you asking me to dance, Miss Woods?" She asks taking off her aviators. Why is she wearing sunglasses in a dim-litted party anyways? She could get hurt…I know…dork.

"Maybe." I fold my arms and turn my face up; she steps in front of me.

"Well, it's either yes or no." I open my mouth to answer, but nothing is coming out. Her gray eyes are studying my brown ones. "Have you even danced with a girl before?"

"You'd be surprised what I have done with a girl before, Carmen."

She scoffs, giving me a look of disbelief. "Now, you're just bullshittin me. I see how you were eyeing Aiden." Yea, the same way I've been eyeing you, but much less.

"So?" We walk towards the dancefloor where I see Spencer and Ashley dancing to Soca music. Damn, that girl works fast. They seem to be enjoying themselves while I'm at a stand still.

"So, from what I recall, I remember you being strictly dickly." Carmen doesn't seem to notice, she really is being a detective now.

"No, you just assume that I was fooling around with guys while you and my sister were becoming les-bros for life."

She cracks up at my term for her and Ashley's relationship, but that's what they are to each other. "So, what were you doing then? Fooling with yourself?"

I looked down, trying not to blush because Carmen is on the right track. Just because I wasn't whoring around like they were didn't mean that I didn't have needs. I was a teenager for God's sake.

"Why are you so interested in my sex life, Carm?" I question her.

"Hmm.." She says rubbing her chin. "That's a good question." She looks past me at the bathroom. "I'll answer you right after I take a leak. Don't move." Take a leak? What girl says 'take a leak'? I don't care if she is a bit on the tomboyish side, no girl should ever say 'take a leak'.

"Hey." I hear a voice behind me. It's Aiden again; shirt still open. I'm starting to think he does that on purpose. "Is Carmen trying to hit on you?" He asks jokingly.

I laugh along with him at his lame attempt to spark up a convo. "No, just chatting about the party."

"Oh ok." He says looking at Spencer and Ashley dance. "Your sister seems to be enjoying herself; those two might get a room after this." He grins, probably thinking about them in a dirty way. I would to if it wasn't my own blood.

"Yea, she is having fun. I'm happy for her." I reply genuinely smiling. Who knows what can happen with my sister and her.

"That's good, that's good." Jesus! Aiden's rap game is not up to par. Glen's right. It's a good thing he's hot. "How long are you staying here?"

"I go to school here now." I said rolling my eyes. Where the hell is Carmen?

"Right. Of, course." He answered shaking his head, the song ends and Dutty Wine comes on. I love this song, where's Carmen when you need her? He steps in front of me and clears his throat. "Do you wanna dance? He asks with a deeper voice.

No, no, and no. "Uh, well, I…"

"Oh, come on, I'm way better than that blond guy you were dancing with." He replied, already pulling me on the dancefloor. Damn, did everybody see me dancing with Glen?

"Alright." I said defeated. It's a quick song anyway. He turned me around, so I'm dancing with my back to his front. He's moving in sync with me with his hand on my sides.

"So, have you seen anybody you like?" He whispers in my ear. His voice sounds sweet, curious even.

"Yea." I answer honestly picturing gray eyes and a lop-sided grin.

"So have I." He has his hand on my stomach, pushing us closer together. I should've known from the abs that he's a strong guy.

"Um, Aiden, your hand." I pointed out.

"My bad." He apologizes moves his hand from my waist to my thigh, pulling me into him more. "I was thinking..." I can feel his hot, whiskey-scented breath on my neck. It's making me sweat and not in a good way. "Maybe we can go back to my place." I turn to look at him like he's lost his mind. How can you go from awkward to aggressive that fast? Oh my god, I think I feel his hard-on. Is this happening right now?

"No thanks." I try to push off of him, but his grip is firm.

"I can make you breakfast in the bed." He pushes on.

"Let her go, Aiden." We both turn around and there's Carmen staring Aiden down like a lion to a zebra, ready to go for the kill. She walks up to him and her eyes are now a dark smoke color, she repeats it a bit more assertively. "I said Let. Her. Go." She grabs my wrist and pulls me behind her.

"What are you? Her protector?" Carmen doesn't back down from him. "Look, she asked me to dance with her, so I did."

"He's lying." I said to her. To be honest, I was pissed off at what he was trying to do. If it wasn't for Carmen, it would have turned into a situation.

"Aiden, I think you need to go sober up." Carmen said coolly, still eyeing him down and holding on to my wrist. I could feel her body shake a bit. "You really wanna be thought of as the guy who forces girls to do what they don't want? Trust me, it ain't a good look."

Aiden looks from Carmen to me and then back to Carmen again. "Whatever. You can keep her if you want. There's plenty of chicks in here."

"Well, go find you a slut to fuck tonight. Cause Kyla's not one of them."

Aiden walks pass us, but not without bumping into Carmen hard.

I breathe a sigh of relief. Carmen turns to me, her look softer now. She places a hand on my cheek. "Are you ok, Kyla?" She asks me with a concerned look.

"I'm alright.." I look right into her eyes and I'm feeling that this is a side of Carmen most people don't see. Something, I would like to see more of. Then it hit me. "Wait! How long were you watching?"

"Long enough." She answers shortly. She runs her fingers through her hair and shakes her head. I think she's trying to calm herself down.

"What?"

"You shouldn't have worn those shorts." She smiles slyly.

I can't help but to laugh at how she just changed the mood. "I think Ashley jinxed me tonight."

"How so?"

"Umm..It doesn't matter. But thanks for the rescue." I decide not to ruin the moment.

"It's what I'm here for." She smiles slightly. The song ends and on comes some reggaeton jam. "Oh, yes, I've been waiting for this." She looks at me expectantly. "Well…"

"Well, what?" I don't know what she's waiting for. She gently grabs me by the waist and starts moving to the beat. Oh, I see now. Yes, this is nice.

"You said I would be surprised about what you have done with a girl, right? So, it makes me to believe that you at least, danced with one." She said wrapping her arms around my neck. "Your sister won't beat up a girl, I know that much. Especially, since I'm watching your back."

"I think this counts more than watching my back." I smirk, she shrugs it off. I grab Carmen's waist so it comes closer to mine. I'm gonna have to show her I'm not playing around. "I don't understand the lyrics to this. What are they saying?" I ask out of curiosity.

_"Hoy es noche de sexo_

_Voy a devorarte nena linda._

_Hoy es noche de sexo_

_Y voy a cumplir tus fantasias_

_Hoy es noche de sexo_

_Ay, voy a devorarte nena linda._

_Hoy es noche de sexo_

_Lo juro por Dios que esta noche serás mía."_

She smiles at me and winks. "I can show you better than I can tell you, Ky." Ooh, is that a promise? "You said you wanna find out for yourself, right?"

Carmen turns so her jean-cladded bottom is grinding on my center. She's striking the beats with such timing that it's hard to keep up with her. I'm thanking myself for wearing what I'm wearing now cause I can feel the sensation and I know I don't have to ask the other 12 girls whether she's good at it, dancing or the bedroom.

"Are you calling my bluff? I'm dancing with you, aren't I?"

"Yea, but any girl can dance with another girl." She retorts

"Maybe it's more to me than dancing." I reply. I want her to face me. I want her to see how serious I am, but I'm a bit scared. Grow a pair, Woods! "There's more than one reason why I came back to L.A., Carmen." I place my hands on her hips and have her dip lower with me. "Are you ready to find that out for yourself?" I question back. Please say yes, please say yes!

She tilts her head up to lock her eyes with mine with a contemplative look on her face and says with no uncertainty, "Surprise me." I definitely have a kool-aid smile plastered on my face now, that's all the initiative I need.

Before I say anything else to Carmen, I hear my sister's infuriated voice behind me. "Kyla, what the hell are you doing?" I feel Carmen freeze up in my arms. Dammit! Does this count as 'clamjamming' on her behalf?

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**Yesss, I know, I was late again, I said afternoon, it's evening. I had to finish writing a paper for a group project. Sorry. =( On the other hand, the party isn't over. I like doing twists and turns. Who knows? Lol! I don't expect many reviews this time, but I do for Carmen's POV which will be up on Friday. Good things come in threes. So, there will be a part 3 and the pieces of the puzzle will be put together. Ok? As for me, I need some shut-eye. Have a good night, folks. **

**Songs used: Lapdance by N.E.R.D.; Noche De Sexo by Wisin Y Yandel feat. Aventura**


	10. Saturday Night Fever pt 3

**Oh my! I honestly didn't think I would get as many reviews as I did for the last chapter, but thanks a billion. I'm realizing that there might be more Kymen fans than Spashley fans for my story, hmm...me included. Ha ha ha! Ya'll shall see if ya'll predictions were right. Oh, and I'm answering reviews in PM again. Sorry for the minor delay. Part 3 is starting NOW!**

**Disclaimer: Not. Mine. At. All. =(**

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Carmen's POV

Fuck, fuck, fuck! This can't be happening right now. Am I that faded to have even considered dancing with my best friend's kid sister? Or flirting with Ashley's kid sister? Wait! No, I wasn't flirting, I was just being me. A knows that. She can't blame me for being me, right? Right?

We both turn around and see Ashley eyeing both of us like we just broke a commandment. "What does it look like, Ashley? I'm dancing, having fun." Kyla stated boldly. Kyla is still close to me, I try to move away, but she's holding me in front of her. I can't be a shield right now; this is a battle I wasn't prepared for.

"I can see that." Ashley clipped. "I meant what the hell are you doin dancing with _Carmen_?'" When she said my name, she looks directly at me. Her eyes have a cross between betrayal and anger.

"I can dance with who I want to dance with. I'm not a child." Kyla steps forward and stares Ashley down. I think I should let these two sisters duke it out on their own.

"C, don't you fucking move." Ashley points to me while still keeping an eye on Kyla. Her peripheral must be good. Note to self: Watch Katt Williams tonight to wind down after this. "Kyla, why are you making my job as the bigger sister difficult?"

"Ashley, please, you're the one making it difficult. You're not dad. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is you're not supposed to be dancing that way with my best friend." Ashley answers and then scoffs. "You must've had too much alcohol." Kyla looks like she's about to tear up, which in turn makes me want to step into action. I don't want her to take this from Ashley.

"A, listen.." I stand in front of her with my hands slightly up. I never seen her like this, so I don't know what to expect. "It's not her fault. I was doing what you asked and-"

"Shut up, Carmen." Ashley says quickly and glances to Kyla and back.

"Wait a minute! What?" Kyla looks between me and Ashley and crosses her arms. "What did she ask you to do?"

"Uhh…" Should I tell her? I look at Ashley and she gives me a pleading look not to. "Ashley.." I tug on the strings of my hoodie. "Ashley asked me to keep an eye on you when Spencer finally arrived."

"You did what?" Kyla asks Ashley in an appalled tone; Ashley starts backing up a little. "For what reason? You trust me enough to help you get the girl, but not enough to trust me on my own?"

"Kyla, it's not like that.." Ashley pauses trying to find the right words. "It's your first party and I didn't want anything to happen to you." She reaches out to her sister.

"Newsflash, Ashley. This isn't my first party. I have been wasted before, I have smoked before, I've gotten into trouble and I'm definitely NOT a virgin." When she said the last part, a few of the frat guys heads' turned. Creepos. I'll knock them the hell out. "I'm not that little girl anymore. Can't you see that?" Kyla shakes her head and walks out the room.

"Kyla, wait-" I grab Ashley's arm before she can chase after her.

"Let her have her space, Ash." Ashley looks at me like I'm stupid. "Look, you heard what she said. Just leave her alone."

She pulls her arm away from me. "I'm not gonna have her walk around this place by herself." I stand in front of her.

"Yes, you are." I sigh again, looks like I'll be doing this a lot tonight. "A, you know you're my girl and everything, but you need to stop being the insane, macho, big brother type."

"Are you seriously being the voice of reason right now?" She rolls her eyes, I stare at her blankly. Sometimes, I just wanna slap her with a hard pillow and maybe knock some sense in her head.

"Yes, I am, cause you won't believe it from anyone else." I put my arm around and we walk out to the hallway. "I know what's going through your mind everytime you see her with a guy is that they will use her, right?"

"Right."

"That's the point. You can't control that, it happens sometimes. Hell, you and I do it."

Ashley shakes her head. "I know, I know but I should protect her from harm."

"There's other ways. Look around, we're at a party. Approaching us like you did was fucking embarassing, not valiant."

"You can't use big words like that when you're drunk."

"Well, you ambushing us while we were dancing sobered me up."

She eyes me down for a moment. "So, why were you dancing with my sister? Cause I didn't ask you to do that."

"Why did you get so worked up seeing me dance with her?" I retorted.

"I don't want you turning my sister, that's why."

"What? Is that a joke?" Me? Turn Kyla? I wouldn't stoop that low.

"Carm, I know you. You go for the straight girls. Don't think I haven't seen the way you look at her. I take notes on everything." She says harshly.

"Are you on a bi-polar tip right now, A? I told you I was doin what you asked me to do." I said equally as harsh. "You saw her dancing with Aiden, you was about to come over there. I gave you the signal that I got it cause I didn't want to ruin your fun."

"That's it?" She looks at me inquisitively.

"That's it." I said truthfully. Well, half-truthfully. "She asked me to dance after…"

"After what?" She's not gonna like this.

"After Aiden couldn't keep his hands to himself." I said coldly. I'm gonna put itching powder in his underwear drawer when I get home.

She nods her head in assurance. "I'm gonna kill him." Oh, God.

"Ash, don't. I already took care of it." I see Spencer walking up to us. "Just drop it, alright?"

"Ok." She looks onward at Spencer, eyes building with happiness. I seriously think she has two sides to her.

"Sorry, it took so long." Spencer said to Ashley. "It turns out my brother drunk too much and I can't find Madison, but I gotta go." She said sadly pointing in the direction behind her. We look over and see Goldilocks keeled over ready to upchuck his whole drinking experience tonight. Man, he looks pale. "I need to help him back to our dorm."

"Oh." I hear the disappointment in A's voice and I think Spencer does, too. "Umm, it's cool. Family comes first, right?" I roll my eyes at her remark.

"Well, actually, I was wondering if.." she bites her lip and tilts her head. Oh, Ashley's a goner. "you could help me with him. He weighs a ton." She chuckles lightly.

"No problem. I'm in great shape." Ashley answers a little too quickly, she flashes her a smile. Again with an eyeroll. The bitch barely exercises. Why is she kidding herself? "Wait." She shakes her head. "I gotta go get Kyla."

"No, you don't." I assure her. "She will be fine with me. I'll go find her." Ashley gives me a long sideways look. I know she's debating in her head whether to leave her sister here, especially with me.

"You text me if there's a problem, alright?"

"No worries."

"I mean it, C." She looks me in my eyes. "Don't try anything." Are we on this again?

"You don't either." I say jokingly. "Have fun." She throws an arched eyebrow my way as she walks off. I already see her struggling from Goldilock's weight. Part of me thinks it serves her right.

I walk around the various rooms while hearing the song change up to Estelle's Freak. I can't believe my luck right now. I can be dancing with some sexy, half-inebriated chick but instead I'm looking for Kyla. Why did I agree to dance with her? If I didn't play along, she wouldn't have gotten in trouble with Ashley…ok, she would've still gotten in trouble with Ashley; but, at least, Ashley wouldn't think I was trying to get into her sister's pants. This is just a mess.

"Fuck me." I breathe out. I can't find her anywhere. She moves quick.

"I thought I was doing that next week." I hear a familiar voice say. Damn, as if it can't get any worse. "Having a good time with all this fresh tail running around?" She smirks.

"Kelly, now is not the time." I try to rush past her, but she steps in my way.

"Hold on a minute." She whines and then does her sexy pout. "You didn't call me like you said you would, Carmen. I know I'm not the only one, but still."

"I told you I had plans." I said walking off, she starts to follow. Shit, I can't shake her. What happened to the days where a girl could just take a hint? "Is there a reason you're following me around at a party?"

"I wanted to talk to you." She said pushing my bangs out my eyes; I grab her hand in order for her to stop. "Look, Carmen, I've been thinking." That's never good. "I think I'm gonna break up with Jake."

I look right into her eyes to see if she's serious. She's looking back at me to see if I say something. "Uhh, congrats?" She gives me her pissed off pose "Well, what you want me to say to that?"

"That, it's about time, maybe?" She flips her hair out the way as if that will make more sense of the situation. "Look, I know you wouldn't take me seriously cause I double dip but I wanna be with you, so.."

Say what? Be with me? "Hold up, hold up. What you mean you wanna be with me?" I can't help but to laugh a little bit at this situation and that only makes Kelly annoyed.

"I mean just that." She steps closer to me and she places her hand on my cheek. "I like you a lot, Carmen. It's more than just sex to me." Her eyes are getting glossy and I know I'm gonna hate myself a little for what I'm about to do next.

"Look, baby, I hate to burst your love bubble, but I never told you to fall for me." Her mouth drops open and then closes, not knowing what to say. I start to walk off, but she clutches my arm.

"Carmen, please, he...he doesn't treat me the way you do." Kelly begged, her voice trembling a bit. "Why don't you want to be with me?"

I shake my head and take her grip off of me. "I'm gonna give you some sound advice, Kels. One: You should never leave the one you love for the one you want. Two: Love is not what I'm giving to you. I can and will only give you what I am giving to you: Satisfaction."

"You're an asshole, Carmen." The tears start to fall. I hate to see a woman cry. Sure, I've made some cry, but I never been there to witness it. I need to nip this problem in the bud.

"I'm not, Kelly. I'm being me." I say coldly. "If you wanna break up with him, go for it. He's a dick anyway. But I'm not gonna be the one you can run to. Sorry."

She looks at me with hurtful eyes and then slaps me in my face, swinging her hips while she walks off.

"Shit." rub my face to lessen the sting. "She must be heavy-handed." Is it wrong for me to only feel sorry for my loins cause she really was a good lay. Maybe I can call her-screw that, it was meant to happen.

I go outside to the backyard where there's a dozen people or so. I see Kyla sitting by herself, just looking solemn. There's a couple on a couch sucking face near her. Why is there a couch in the backyard? My heart starts to beat a little quicker. I never been good at consoling someone. When my mom left my dad, I had to be her shoulder to lean on and for the longest, all she did was cry. I can't handle that.

"Hey." I sit down next to her. She glances at me then averts her eyes back to nothingness. It's quiet and not the comfortable kind of quiet. I hate tension, unless it's sexual.

"Here to rescue me again or does Ashley have you keeping tabs on me still?" Ouch. Ok, I deserve that, I guess. Ashley should be here to take some of the blame though. On second thought, maybe not.

"I'm here to see if you're alright. For myself." I answer putting my hood up, using it as some type of armor. Also, to hide the red handprint on my cheek.

"Hmmph! Well, I'm just peachy. I have an insane, domineering sister who thinks I need a babysitter." She makes eye contact with me. "And a babysitter who flirts with me just so she can do her job."

"Kyla-"

"I just wanna know something, Carmen." She cuts me off and I tug on the cords of my hood out of uneasiness. "Did you agree to dance with me so you can keep a close eye on me?"

"No." I said a little too quickly. She raises her eyebrow at me. "I did it because I wanted to."

"Really?" Her eyes soften and I smile at her. I don't know why this feels okay, but I soon feel awkward and have to do something.

"Real talk!" I say clapping my hands for emphasis. Note to self: Watch Kevin Hart instead when I get home tonight.

She rolls her eyes at my attempt to joke around. Her gaze travels to the house. "Where's my P.O.?"

I chuckle at her question. "She helped Spencer with Goldilocks. He had way too many drinks." I sung the last part, she smirks.

"Did you send out some flairs to tell her you found me?"

"No. Not yet." I said smiling. We just sit there for another minute, not saying anything. I keep stealing glances at her. She is so beautiful. Yes, she's sexy, pretty, and all those things. But, it's not just her body that is attractive; it's her mind as well. God, what am I thinking? I can't think like that about Kyla. Hell, she started it first, she wanted to find out what it was like to dance with me and I don't back down from a challenge. Of course, it's not much of a challenge when you actually want to do it.

"Carmen...Carmen!" She yells and is now standing in front of me. I stall a couple seconds before I look up at her, I think you may know why. Me sitting and her standing creates a perfect view of a specific part I pleasure a lot on a female.

"Huh?"

"What happened? You spaced out?"

"Umm…" Racy thoughts, naughty thoughts. "Yea, sorry."

She shakes her head. "Ok, well, snap out of it." She pulls me up from the chair. "I wanna get out of here. I'm cold and I'm getting tired."

"You can't hack it, hadita." She nudges me in my head. "Do you want me to take you home?" I ask out of the blue. Don't ask me why I did.

"I don't know…what about my sister?" She asks doing a fake gasp.

"Well, I told her I will take care of you. She doesn't have to worry." I smile showing off my pearlies.

"That is the most mischievous grin I ever seen on you."

"But, it's genuine." I say smiling wider.

She giggles. "I'm sure it is."

The car ride to Kyla's place is a little hush. Only the music playing fills the atmosphere, part of me mentally kicks myself for having my playlist on shuffle as I hear some song playing from my 'pantydroppers album'.

_"It's goin down in here  
I'm lookin for a standin ovation admit oh  
I want chu bad lemme see cause you wanting it oh  
I'm gone have you day dreamin  
Turn on the strobe light  
Turn on the strobe light (strobe light)"_

I look over and see Kyla vibing to the song and my mind goes back to earlier tonight when we were dancing. Although, it was cut short by Ashley. Ugh! We did seem to be enjoying ourselves. I was surprised by how well her body moved with mine. Those hips of hers were definitely made for dancing with a small body…like mines. Naughty ideas, again. Bad Carmen, bad.

I smile at the thought of it and she catches me. "What?" She asks curiously.

"Oh, nothing." I reply. "We never did get to finish our dance."

She pouts and I have the urge to do something that would not be suitable considering who she is. "Yea, I know. From what I've seen, you're pretty good."

"I know." I said with a cocky smile. "You are, too."

"Thanks." She bites her lip..damn I wish it was my teeth instead. I really need to keep my eyes on the road. "Do you think we can do it again? Without my sister or anyone breaking it up?"

"I don't know." I said honestly. "The odds are pretty slim of that going smoothly."

"Well, I guess we have to do it in private then." Her answer sounded like a deeper meaning, but I wasn't gonna touch that. Instead, I change the subject to something I really wanna know.

"How long, Ky?"

She gives me a perplexed look. "How long what?" I park my jeep and walk over to her side to let her out. I am a gentlewoman at times.

"How long have you been chasing girls as well as guys?" She looks at me a little edgy, probably wondering if she should answer or not. "I won't tell Ashley. I promise."

She stares at me to see if I'm telling the truth. Then after a moment passes, she looks down. "About 3 years ago or so."

"Hmm, so you're not that new to the game, huh?"

She giggles a little bit. "I guess not."

"Which one do you like more?" I ask out of curiosity. They always have to like one gender a little bit more.

She rolls her eyes. "It's not like that for me, Carmen. It's whoever piques my interest, in all areas." I nod my head in understanding "But, I do love a female body..it's much softer from what I've noticed." She has a shy smile on her face and I can't help to turn a little red..aside from the slap mark.

"I concur." I said holding two fingers up in agreement, she yawns a bit as she laughs. "I guess you should get inside and get your beauty rest."

"Yea, I should." She says a little glum. "Thank you for the dance and for saving me from.." She sees my eyes narrow in anger. "..well, you know."

"You're welcome, Kyla. And don't worry bout your sis, I'll talk some sense into her."

"Please do." She sighs and looks down, I push her chin up.

"I will." I reassure her. Her big, brown eyes are just shining and making me feel something that I havent felt in awhile; butterflies.

She unlocks the door and checks inside for a moment, but then comes back and very swiftly gives me a kiss on my marked cheek. "Good night, Carmen." She smiles bashfully.

I know I must have a shocked look on my face, but it's soon replaced with a kool-aid smile. Yes, that big. "Good night, Kyla." She's about to close the door when I call out. "One more thing."

"What's that?" She questions.

"When you're double clicking your mouse, are you thinking of penis or vagina?" I grin. She has an amused face and her cheeks turn red.

"It's not what type of genitals I'm thinking of." She looks me in my eyes and grins back. "It's whose I'm thinking of." With that said, she closes the door.

I drive back to my part of town, texting Ashley in the process to tell her that Kyla is home, safe and sound. I let my mind wander back to Kyla, those eyes, that laugh, and those shorts. I shake my head knowing that what I'm starting to think, say, and do is wrong. But, it feels so damn good. Looks like I have fatal attraction on my hands cause I'm pretty sure Ash will kill me when it's all said and done.

* * *

**I am finished. Man, I hope you liked this, ladies and gents (if there are any). Questions, comments, suggestions; Holla at me. It may take awhile for me to update cause finals week is less than 2 weeks and I'm tryint to keep this lovely gpa for this semester up. So, until next time, tell me who's POV you want next and I'll deliver. Sayonara!**

**Songs used: Freak by Estelle feat. Kardinal Offishall; Strobe Light by Dawn Richard (formerly of Danity Kane)**

**Side notes: 1. I wish there was one chapter where I didn't have any grammatical errors, just one. *sigh* 2. Did anyone see Ciara's new music video (Ride)? I almost melted from the dancing *drool* 3. The english translation of Noche De Sexo is**

**Tonight is sex night/I'm going to devour you, pretty lady/Tonight is sex night/ And I'm going to comply to your fantasies/ Tonight is sex night/Oh, I'm going to devour you, pretty lady/Tonight is sex night/I swear to God that tonight you'll be mine.**


	11. Sweet Dreams or a Beautiful Nightmare?

**Whoo! I know, I know. It's been about 2 weeks since I updated. The good news is I have 4 A's & 1 B this semester and I passed my Praxis 1 exam (on the 1st try, I might add). Yay me! :) Since class doesn't start for another week, I'll be able to update more quickly. Thank you for the reviews/story alerts/favorite story, etc. They mean 'beaucoup' to me. Oh and if I didn't answer you in PM, I'm sorry. I honestly forgot who I have answered already and who I have not. :-/**

**Disclaimer: Nothing…except this wildin-ass storyline, that is. ;)**

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Spencer's POV

"Wow!" Ashley says shaking her head, her brown curls bouncing. "I forgot how small these dorm rooms are."

"You've been in here before?" Ashley is leaning back on my desk while I'm sitting on my bed fiddling with a loose string on my sheets. I don't know what possessed me to invite her up to my room, but she helped me with Glen, so I guess this is a thank you; me being more open and all.

"Yea," She giggled. "I mean before I moved into my family's beach house, I wanted the whole 'college experience'." She stated with air quotes. When she did this, I couldn't help to notice her vest rise up a bit. Her stomach looks so smooth and toned, I bet it feels great when..crap! She's looking at me now with a knowing smirk. "So…" She comes over and sits next to me; I scoot a little away from her. "What I know so far is that your favorite color is green, you love spinach pizza, and your favorite band at the moment is Muse, right?"

"That's right." I smile; a bit surprised that she remembered that in our short conversation. "I can't believe you never had spinach on your pizza."

"Well, I guess I'm not big on vegetables, I get my vitamins from other sources though." She replies stealing a glance at me, I don't react to it verbally, but my face is reddening up sure does.

"You haven't said much about you, you know." I point out. Now, it's my turn to smirk back.

Ashley shrugs and moves closer to me. I feel her body heat radiating off of her and it's making me feel woozy, but in a good way. "Maybe, I'm trying to be a bit of mystery, so you can unravel me little by little if you choose to."

I bite my lip a bit and look down. I'm pretty sure she knows her words are laced with a double meaning. A moment passes and I can feel her eyeing me. "Umm, it's getting late. I need to get up for church in the morning." I get up to let her out, but she grabs my wrist and pulls me back down so that I am straddling her. To say I am shocked is an understatement. I have alarm bells ringing repeatedly in the tune of 'Holy Shit'. "Ashley, what are you doi-"

"Shh.." She tugs on my tie pulling me down in the process. Her hot, raspy voice tickling my ear. "I'm doing what you want to do..." My breath becomes heavy while she nips my earlobe with her teeth. How she knows that's my sweet spot, I have no idea. "But, too afraid to do anything about it." She ends the sentence with kissing on my neck.

I can't help but to let out a pleasurable sigh when her hands are traveling up my thighs. I both thank and curse Madison for picking out this skirt. "We shouldn't be doing this." I hear myself say, my voice laced with yearning.

"Why?" Ashley asks taking my hand to unzip her vest. Her red laced bra and her tanned breasts taunting me. She has a navel ring, too. Hmm.. "Your actions are speaking louder than your words right now." She adds while she brushes my fingers down her abs.

I do an audible gulp. "I.." My words get stuck as I get flipped over by Ashley. She's now on top of me, her lower half pressing on mines. I can't even remember my own birthday right now let alone reply back to her. She goes back to my ear, driving me more to my breaking point of self-control.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" She whispers in a somber tone.

"Who?" I'm confused now. Ashley shakes her head in disappointment.

Her gaze looks over to Madison's bed and I slowly follow it. Hazel eyes are looking back at us with an unreadable look. The last person I would want to see me in this tight spot is in the room. Brittany.

"What the-?"

"Spencer! Yo, Carlin!" *SMACK!* I'm woken up by none other than Madison..well, Madison's hard-ass pillow. "Wake the hell up. Your cell has been ringing for the past fifteen minutes."

_"I-I-I-I'ma need counseling._

_I lost my mind and I still haven't found it._

_I used to be so well-rounded._

_But, now I tiptoe on Hell's boundaries."_

Glen. We have this thing where we pick our own ringtones. He's on 'anything Weezy' right now and it's kinda annoying cause the song is a little depressing.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me at.." I look at the clock as I rub my head from the impact of 'the sack of potatoes' pillow. "8am? Are you serious?"

"Well, dear sister of mine. It's always good to be up and early." He says sweetly

"What do you want, Glen?" I ask cutting right through the bullshit.

"Ok, ok. My roommate's sick and I need someone to work out with. Be my spotter. PLEEAASE!"

"No. I have class in like 3 hours. Why don't you get that jock guy you have class with to spot you?"

"Well, I..I can't."

I sigh. "Why? What did you do?"

"Nothing, nothing at all..except I might have fooled around with him a bit while we were drinking." He says quickly.

"Oh my god. Really?" I get up out of bed because I know I'm going to the gym with him. "By fooled around, you mean.."

He laughs. "What you think, Spence? We played cards?"

"I would hope that's the only thing you did."

"Quit being a hater. We only got to the oral stage and he freaked out in the middle of it. Can you believe it? Closeted homos." He mutters the last part.

Flash of Glen and the jock getting it on. Ugh! Not the way to start off my morning. "Oook. On that note, I'll meet you downstairs in ten minutes." I hang up before he says anything else.

I reach under my bed and grab the picture that I have been looking at less and less since Ashley and I met. I stare at it comparing the features of Brittany from my dream to the picture. Only thing that looks the same is the eyes. What the hell does it all mean?

"Chica, you seriously need to get rid of that." Madison states, breaking me out of thoughts. I look at her and realize she's still in bed with her eyes closed.

"Get rid of what?"

"The picture of your ex." She says turning over.

How does she know I was looking at it? That's a bit creepy. I put the picture back underneath my bed and get up.

"You look at it almost every day when you get up, you know that?" She still has her back turned to me. "I mean, how did you and this Ashley chick end it?"

Huh? What is she talking about? "Um, her name's not Ashley."

Madison hunches her shoulders. "Well, that's whose name you called out while you were dreaming."

I'm glad Madison is not facing me because I know I'm beet red right now. "I gotta go. Glen's waiting for me downstairs."

"Whatever. Can you not slam the door on your way out?"

I roll my eyes. It's weird how she can go from being concerned to not caring at all. "Sure thing."

At the gym

Glen and I are lifting weights now. Ok, he's lifting weights and I'm helping him by being his guardian angel. I don't know why he's doesn't like going to the gym alone. He just likes the company.

"So, then he's like 'Whoa, bro. I don't get down like that.' I'm like 'you could've fooled me.' What is it with guys, Spence?"

"I have no clue whatsoever." I yawn. Glen gets up and takes some of the weights off.

"Having trouble sleeping still?" I nod my head and look down. "Still having dreams with your ex and the new girl?"

I give him a 'duh' look because he shouldn't have to ask. We are twins, after all. "Where did it take place this time?"

"My room." That's right. It's the same people, different scenarios every night since the night of the party. You think a dream with a hot girl you're crushing on would be one where you would the sleep the night away. Not with your ex in it though; it turns into a nightmare.

"Spencer, have you even talked to her since the party?"

"I have." I answer defensively. "Just...not as much." Does, 'hi', 'bye', and 'talk to you later' count?

"Not as much as you should." We walk to the elliptical machines. "I know the dreams are freaking you out, sis. But, maybe they mean something."

"Like what?"

"Like when to let shit go, for one." I cross my arms while he stares me down. "You know what I mean."

"Glen, just drop it, please." I don't wanna have this conversation so early in the morning.

"I'm not trying to pressure you, Spencer. But, it's obvious you're attracted to Ashley. Just go for it. What could happen?"

"A lot of things, Glen." I said curtly.

"Are you that blind to realize she and Ashley aren't one in the same? The lezzie is out the box, sis. Mom knows, dad knows. There's no ultimatums here."

"Whatever, Glen." I'm not trying to hear him right now.

"How are you able to avoid her when her sister is in your class? Doesn't she ask what's goin on?"

"Nope. Only annoying brothers like you do."

He flags me off. "Pfft. That's kinda weird, don't you think?" It is kinda weird. As much as she persuaded to me go to the party, Kyla hasn't said much to me in class. Maybe, she doesn't wanna talk with me since I'm giving her sister the run-around.

"I guess she has her reasons."

"Yea…so, what you gonna do?" I shrug my shoulders and my brother just rolls his eyes. I don't want to think that far ahead when it comes to potential relationships. We continue our workout in silence.

"I'll talk to her." I declare once we start walking to the locker rooms. More so to myself than Glen.

"Good." He pats me on the back and smiles. "You need to."

"What should I say though?"

"How bout 'Sorry bout being a douche'. I find you hot. Let's go on a date.'" He holds up his arms as if he just came up with Windows 7. Those commercials are everywhere. "I'm a genius."

"More like a madman."

"Shut up, hater." He scowled and then his eyes lit up. "Hey, I got an idea." Oh, no. "What if we go on a double date? That way I can be there for moral support."

"No."

He pouts. "Oh, come on. Why not?"

"Because the last time we went on a double date, we went with twins like us. It was a disaster."

"It was more like a misunderstanding. Besides, you owe me."

About 6 or 7 months ago, Glen and I went on a blind double date with twins that he met online. One of the twins said they like guys, the other said they like both. Should've worked out, but the girl was the one that liked guys and the guy was the one that was bi. I wanted to rip Glen a new asshole, but he seemed to like the girl, so I took one for the team. My date decided to put the moves on me but stopped when I kicked him in the nuts. Needless to say, there wasn't a second date.

"Glen, Kyla doesn't even like you."

"But, I bet she thinks I'm hot. That's all the reason I need." I shake my head at his shallowness. "Please, Spence?"

I let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll think about it. I'm not making any promises though."

"Ok, ok. Give it some thought. It be fun. We can trade stories of how they are in the sack and-"

"Stop talking." I command with a glare.

"Sorry, just thinking ahead." He replies while walking into the men's locker room.

"Like you'll get that far." I mutter under my breath.

The women's locker is pretty vacant. Good, that's just how I like it. Although, the last time I seen a vacant locker room was in another dream I had with Ashley, shower scene and all. Herbal essence, eat your heart out!

I shake the image out my head while I take off my sweats and t-shirt to go shower, thinking of ways to either call or meet up with Ashley to apologize for the way I've been behaving. Maybe I can ask Kyla how Ashley's doing and see if she can set a meet up…no, that's too junior high. I'm 20 years old for goodness sake.

"Ugh! Why did I put myself in this position?" I ask myself. I look around to see if anyone heard me, then remember it's empty. Whew!

I walk to the showers and I see the woman of my dreams..literally.

"Uhh, hi, Spencer." She smiles nervously, her eyes looking a little stunned. I'm pretty sure I have a stunned look, too. Because of all the places to run into Ashley, I run into her at the women's locker room, fresh out the shower.

God loves me and is torturing me at the same time. "H-hi, umm.." I looked down at her nicely sculpted legs. That towel is way too short. I make an audible gulp. "Ashley, hey."

"Hey, yourself." She says chuckling a little. Did I really just greet her twice? Stupid hormones. She bites her lip a bit. "How have you been?"

"Good." I answer. Suddenly the sickly pale green tiling just got more interesting. "How bout you?"

"I've been alright. Kyla is driving me up the wall. Carmen has been doin her own thing. But I'm survivin." She gives me a half-smile. The guilt is seeping through me little by little.

"Yea.." The silence is deafening. "I'm..I'm sorry that I haven't really gotten back to you. I've had a lot on my mind."

She shrugs her shoulders a little. Her hair is damp; forming it into a bunch of reddish brown ringlets. So pretty. The drops of water hitting her collarbone and cleavage ever so often. I almost get lost in the rhythm of it until she speaks again.

"It's cool. I get it." She walks past me to the lockers and I instantly feel stupid for staring and not saying anything else.

I go after her. "Ashley, wait.." She turns with an impatient look on her beautiful face. Her looking like that is a bit arousing. Not the time though. "Let me explain.."

She raises her hand for me to stop talking. "I understand if you were blowing me off at first. Or even just doing some light flirting with the dancing and the walk home. But, I just thought it meant something." She's acting blasé, but I can tell she's bothered by my evasion.

"It does. I appreciate the-" She unwraps her towel and lets it drop, but I whip my body around before I can see anything. I don't know if it was a smart move on my part. Flashes of the previous locker dream run through my head. "umm-the dancing and the help with Glen and whatnot."

She lets out a husky laugh and part of me wishes I can feel her laughter on my neck. God, I sound like a cheesy, romance novel. "You can turn back around, Spencer. I'm decent."

I turn back around and see her in ripped jeans and a camouflage bra. "Well, almost decent." She smirks while putting on a Metallica tee.

I feel my cheeks heat up a little. I clear my throat just in case my voice squeaks. "Listen, Ashley. I think you're a very attractive female and-."

"And I think you're drop dead gorgeous." She gives me a nose-scrunching grin; so cute. "So, we established that. What next?"

"Well, it's just that…it's been awhile since I've been on a date and it's not that I'm not interested…I'm just being cautious, you know?" I confess to her.

She doesn't respond to this. She just looks at me to continue. What else do I say?

"That's why I've been giving you the run-around. I apologize." My blue eyes lock with her brown ones hoping she realizes that I'm serious.

Ashley nods her head in acknowledgement. "Apology accepted." A moment passes us until she speaks again. "So, how are you gonna make it up to me, Miss Carlin?" She smiles and tilts her head like me. Aww!

I giggle in response, trying to calm my nerves down. "Well, Miss Davies. Will you go on a date with me?" I give her a Colgate smile.

"Hmm.." She replies in mock thought. "Well, we didn't finish talking because your brother threw up again, so I didn't get much info on you." She looks at her phone. "I guess I can pencil you in." She chuckles and I join her.

"Well, in that case, I'm glad I didn't take too long. Who knows how many girls might be dying for a date with you."

"Yeah, right." She replies with a little discomfort. "So, you'll text me later then?" She asks hopeful.

"Count on it." I smile genuinely. I then realize that I am still in a towel, body covered in sweat. "Uhh…I gotta go shower now. Talk to you soon." I hightail it out of there hearing a faint 'bye' in the background. How did I not realize that I looked a hot mess while talking to her? I guess that's what happens when you're around Ashley Davies, you lose all your coherent thoughts.

Feeling refreshed and relaxed seeing it wasn't that nerve-wrecking asking her out, I meet up with Glen outside the gym.

"Jeez, what took you so long? I have been waiting out here for 20 minutes." He grins and raises his eyebrows. "Having hot, unadulterated lesbian sex with a busty coed?"

"Did you get that off the back cover of a porno?"

"Yea. One of yours." I blush a little and he nudges me a bit. We start walking back to the dorms. "So, you figured out what you're gonna say to her?"

I beam a bit. "I don't think I need to."

"You talked to her already? In person? In the locker room?"

"Yup." I smile more. My brother matches my smile with an even wider one. "And no, I wasn't in the showers with Ashley just now, if that what's your thinking."

His smile falters. "Damn, I was seriously about to give you a high-five if you were."

I shake my head at him. "You're a dick."

"I'm a guy, of course I am." He beats his chest with his fist. "Did you ask her out on a double date?"

My face goes alarm and he pouts. "Shit, I forgot to ask about you and Kyla with us. Don't worry, I'm working on it."

"Alright, cool." He grins. "Maybe we can make a bet on-"

"No, definitely not." I glare at him. Knowing what he is implying. "We are not betting to see who gets laid first."

"Fine." He folds his arms. "You would probably win anyway." He says honestly.

We both laugh as we enter our building. I have a strangely good feeling about this date. I'm edgy, nervous, and a bit excited about what's to come. Maybe I should trust my feelings more often instead of my own thoughts about a situation. I hope I don't get any surprise visits from an ex while I'm enjoying myself with Ashley. Not all dreams come true, right?

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**I am finished. I hope ya'll enjoyed this. It got into Spencer's psyche a little bit. The next chap will be the date and I don't know if I should do it in Ashley or Kyla's POV. Let me know, aite? Review or send me a PM. Or don't review at all, not that important. I'll keep writing. Lol! Take care, my fellow fanfictioners. **

**Songs used: Lost by Gorilla Zoe feat. Lil' ****Wayne**

**Replies to reviews: Shain777-Your review had me cracking up. Yo, how tall are you? You got me curious now. Lol! I'm glad you're feeling it still. Love the Snookie comment by the way. Side note: I can't believe Tyra Sanchez won. I was like Nooo! Still, I can't wait for Rupaul's Drag U to come on. :)**

**iLoah-Gracias por tu revisión y ya lo se. I was saying it the other way cause of my academically trained Spanish. Lol! I was debating on which way to write it, too. But, since you're correcting me a bit. Can you translate this song called Tikita Tikita Tikita by Black Point? I'm dead serious. ;)**


	12. Disaster Date

**My apologies for the tardiness. I need to stop with these late updates, but school is tough, ya'll. You know how it is. I'm gonna do shoutouts to reviewers in the beginning & the end**.

**SomthgIlike2do-Thank you for sounding like a preview. If the tables were turned, as a reader, I would be so psyched to know what's happening next. Lol!**

**Shain777-Yo, I read ****ur**** review while I was at work & I bust out laughing. ****Ur**** too much. I was like 'did she use a line from Joe on Family Guy?' Oh, you the same height as me (whoo!) I can't wait 2 see Nina Flowers again. Lmao crappy ass red dress. **

**Slushhy-I had u fooled too, didn't I? *grin* Thank u for the review. U will get to know a bit of what Ashley was up to during their time apart. =)**

**Momo0424- That she is, Momo, that she is. Hmm..I wonder where I got that idea from..lol! The picture will disappear, but it may not be Spencer that gets rid of it. Anybody could be a suspect *looks around*. Lol! Thanks for the review. **

**Grangergirl22- Thank you for the review. Yes, I love my Glen character, I have fun writing him and I will do Kyla's pov..in the next chap.**

**Let's get this show on the road. **

**Disclaimer**: **I do not own, I just approve. =)**

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Ashley's POV

_"Well, I'm not paralyzed _

_But I seem to be struck by you._

_I wanna make you move_

_Because your standing still._

_If your body matches what your eyes can do._

_You'll probably move right through_

_Me on my way to you."_

I sing the chorus at full volume as I strut across my bedroom, that's right I said strut. Why am I strutting, you may ask? Because tonight, I have a date with the blonde bombshell herself, Spencer Carlin. Who would've thought that Carmen would be right?

*Flashback (2 days after the party)*

I toss my phone on the bed after I called Spencer for what seems like the millionth time to me. She says she's busy and she'll call me back. Whatever. 'Baby blue' has been giving me the cold shoulder ever since the party. I'm at a lost here because I never had to work to get a girl on a date. I walk to my window; I see tides get higher as the sun sets, the color of the waves almost matching Spencer's eyes. Almost. God, there she goes flooding my thoughts again. Why am I stressing over this? I want to call Dad, but his phone keeps going to voicemail, he must be on a flight right now. I reach into my pocket, forgetting that Kyla threw all of my smokes out.

"Dammit, Kyla."

Even worse, Kyla hasn't said much to me since the party, either. I know I was wrong for being so controlling and definitely out of line for telling my best friend to watch her back. I just don't want karma to come in the form of some guy sweeping my sister off her feet and dumping her like she meant nothing since I've done it countless times.

"Hey, A. What you doin' in here by your lonesome?" I turn to the voice, though I know who it is already.

"You still have a key?" I ask staring out into the water.

"Of course, I do. I only use it for certain privileges though." I turn and give her a faint smile knowing exactly what she means. "You ain't answer my question though."

I sigh. "Just thinking."

"Ahh, thinking about blondie, huh?" Pfft, who else would it be? "Well, I don't blame you. She was looking fine as-"

"I know, I know." I mumble, cutting her off. "I think she's avoiding me."

"What gave you that idea?" Carmen asks concerned.

"Because…" I start to walk downstairs, she follows suit. "Everytime I texted her, she seems to be busy or something. Especially, when I bring up going out together."

"Hmm, I see your issue." Carmen says stroking her chin like she's oh so wise. "Do you think that maybe, just maybe she is busy with school? I mean our majors don't apply much work, but from what you told me, hers does." I know she's trying to be optimistic. What a pal, huh?

"Carm, come on, we use that excuse on the girls at school." I shake my head. "You really think she's too busy being an honor student?"

"It could happen." Carmen urges. "I mean, she looks like the studious type…especially in that outfit she was wearing..hello, teacher!"

"You're not helping the situation." I said harshly. "Can we just stop talking bout it?"

"Damn, she must got you hooked. Ash, she's just another girl. This is L.A., you know how much ass is out there waiting to be persuaded into some naughty activity? Don't even get me started if we take a road trip up North." She grins.

"Carmen, shut up." That doesn't sound like a bad idea though. "I know what you're trying to do, I'm just not up for it."

"Alright, fine." She pouts. "I guess you don't wanna go to Truckstop tonight."

"Nah, but you can go ahead. Pull two girls for the both of us." I smile slightly, Carmen chuckles.

"It's cool, A. I rather chill here with you." She pats me on my back, then walks over to my dvd collection. "What you in the mood for? Comedy, Queer or Horror?"

"It don't matter. Whatever you wanna pick." I make us some popcorn as I see her put Grandma's Boy in. This movie is hilarious. What's with the guy sleeping in a race car bed?

"So, where's Kyla at?" Carmen asks glancing at me.

"Umm, she went to some pilates class or something. Why?"

"No reason. Just wondering." Carmen replies quickly. "She still not speaking to you?"

"No, not really."

"Well, did you apologize for being such an ass?" She said it as if was the most simplest thing in the world.

"I tried, but she just keeps ignoring me."

Carmen chuckles lightly. "This is not a good week for you with the ladies…you want my advice?"

"Again. No, not really." I avert my eyes to her smirking at me.

"Well, tough luck, kid. I'm about to school ya."

"Alright, old-timer."

"With Kyla, you just need to let her do her, you know what I'm sayin? She's a grown-ass woman."

"Living under my roof." I state firmly.

"Pssh!" She flags me. "A, this is your dad's roof. I ain't tryin to hear that." She replies knowing I'm only half-serious. "Your dad wasn't even this strict with you guys growing up."

"That's cause he's a cool dad."

"So be the cool sister. Cuz this responsibility/honor thy family kick you're on is creepy. Don't be a hypocrite." I push her away as she shudders.

"Alright, alright, I'll give that some thought…what should I do about Spencer?" I ask frowning a little.

"You could ask Kyla for help after you made up with her..or you could not give a damn and go clubhopping again with me."

"The first option is a no. Second option is tempting, but like I said, I'm just not in the mood."

"I knew you were gonna say that. But I am being honest about not giving a damn…or at least, pretend like you don't. Spence looks like the timid, indecisive type. Give her some time. I know she's feeling you, Ashley. She just might be as anxious as you are."

"Ok… I'm not anxious about anything" I state softly.

She looks at me like she doesn't buy it and counts on her fingers. "Whatever, you haven't had any twat since you met blondie, you smoke like 2 packs a day because of no twat and because you don't have Spencer yet, and you even got your sister to help you with her the first time around. Trust me, you're a little bit shook."

"Alright! Shut up. Watch the movie." Man, I hate when she list stuff one by one like that.

*End flashback*

So, I won't admit this to her, but yea, Carmen was right. I didn't contact Spencer after that, but we ended up running into each other at the gym. Let me tell you something, when you are used to having a hook-up with a girl or two…or three on a weekly basis and then you just cut yourself off, it has quite the effects on your body. I had to hit the gym to release some of this tension, but it came right back when I saw 'baby blue' in her 'after workout' glow…it made me wonder, if that's the type of glow she has after other physical actions. *cough* SEX *cough*…anyways…I think I see my phone lighting up. It's Spencer. Swoon!

"Hey, gorgeous. Ready for the time of your life tonight?"

She giggles and it makes me smile into the phone. "Yea, I am. I can't believe I asked you out; yet, you're the one taking me somewhere. Where are we going again?"

"Mmm, whatever pops into mind."

"Ok, cool.-Glen! Would you shut up?- I'm sorry. Hold on." I hear some muffling in the background as I turn down my music. "Hey.." She says a little hesitantly. Uh-oh!

"Yea, is there a problem?" Please don't reschedule, please, please!

"Umm…well, it's just that Glen has been bugging me about this double date thing and I've told him no, but he says I owe him and it's a long story and maybe I'll tell you later about it, so…" She ends her rambling with a shaky 'so'. I would find it if adorable if I didn't know what it meant.

"So, you want to double date instead?" Why can't I be alone with this girl for more than five minutes?

"Not really, but..yea..is that ok?"

"That's fine." I reply through gritted teeth. "Who's the lucky girl…or guy?"

"How'd you know my brother was bi?"

"I got bi-dar." She giggles again. I think I'm gonna love making her laugh or having her make any pleasurable noises from her mouth. Way to predict what's to come.

"Well…the lucky girl would be your sister. He thinks she's hot."

"Kyla?" I said in an incredulous tone. "I don't know, Spencer. That's kinda on a short notice and we aren't really speaking right now."

"Oh, really? Why not?" Crap! I don't wanna tell her what went on.

"Just petty stuff, that's all. But, we are both very stubborn."

"I understand that…well, I guess I'll tell Glen then…" It gets silent. I can't believe what I'm about to do.

"You know what? Hold that thought. I'll go ask." Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I'll call you back. Ok?"

"Ok, cool. Thanks." I run my fingers through my hair. I must be hooked to agree with this. "Oh, and Ashley?"

"Yea?"

"Don't worry. They won't be with us on the second date." I know she's probably turning red from her own boldness.

"Ok." That's all I can say to that, I'm just ecstatic that she's thinking about a second date. Hopefully, there is a second date if our lovely siblings don't mess it up for us.

"Ok, bye."

I don't say bye back because I'm trying to run every scenario in my head on how to approach Kyla about this 'date'. I knock on her door and hear her say it's open, it's sound quiet, too quiet. I take a deep breath before I step in.

"Hey, sis." I say in a pleasant tone.

"Ashley." Kyla cuts her eyes at me and unmutes her tv.

"So, uhh..how's it goin?.. Wait. Are you watching what I think you're watching?" I ask as I hear a familiar theme song.

_"Talking, laughing, loving, breathing,_

_fighting, fucking, crying, drinking,_

_writing, winning, losing, cheating, _

_kissing, thinking, dreaming._

_This is the way, it's the way that we live._

_It's the way that we live…and love."_

"Yup, it's the 4th season. I got the whole series on DVD." Kyla replies nonchalantly.

"I didn't know you watched The L Word." I said with an astonished tone, I walk closer to where she's sitting.

"Well, I guess there are a lot of things you don't know, Ashley." She starts to skip the scenes until she settles on one. "Whatever it is you want, the answer is no."

"How do you know I want anything?"

"Well, you're not in here to apologize, are you?" She raises her eyebrow as I sit on her bed.

"Look, Kyla, I'm sorry about what happened at the party." I lose my train of thought when I see what scene she's on; it's the 'Lay-Up' episode. "Oh my god, I love how Alice screams after she gets the ball." My outburst wins me an exasperated look from Kyla, I clear my throat before I continue. "Anyways, it was out of line of me and I know that you can handle yourself. It won't happen again."

Kyla looks at me with squinted eyes, contemplating whether to take me seriously, I bet. "Ok, I forgive you." Kyla replies like nothing went down. That was easier than I thought. "One condition though." I knew it, too good to be true.

I sigh. "What's the condition?"

"From here on out, whomever I show interest in, you don't interfere. Whether it's to dance, to date, or to screw, you don't come running to my rescue unless I call for you." She states pointing her index finger at me. I'd like to use another finger as a token of what I'm thinking right now.

"You're really pushing my limits on this apology thing. You know that, right?"

She flashes me a fake smile, but then turns serious. "Yea, I know. But, you need to trust me and my own judgment, Ashley. For real this time."

"..Ok. I'll let go of the leash on you." I say honestly.

"Good." We sit and watch a little more of the show in ease. I almost forgot what I came in here for.

"So…since we are back on the good foot, can you help a sister out?"

"Ugh! I knew you wanted something." She shakes her head.

"Now, wait, hear me out. You might enjoy this." She folds her arms. "Well, me and Spencer have our first date tonight.."

"I know. Spencer texted me the day she asked you out. She's so excited." Kyla said grinning. "Have you figured out what you're gonna wear?"

"Yea, umm, see? It's a funny thing." I start to look anywhere but her eyes. "Glen wanted to do a double date thing with us, but has no date, so…"

And like a light bulb, it clicks in her head. Kyla busts out laughing. Great. She thinks it's hilarious.

"Sorry, sis. I'm not that desperate."

"What? I thought you liked Glen."

"I mean he's cute and all..but, he's a bit of a tool." Kyla declares humorously, I smile slightly.

"That he is, but at least he's funny with it."

"True. He's not a _puñeta_ like Aiden." She says angrily. Aiden. I should've bitchslapped him silly with a vibrator while Carmen ties him to a tree in the park where the gay guys cruise, with honey over his skin. Quite the image, isn't it?

"Huh?" I ask with a perplexed look.

"It means a jerk-off." She grins sheepishly. "That's what Carmen calls him now."

"Uh-huh. I see…you and Carmen are buddy-buddy all of a sudden?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You could say that…I mean we were banging each other's brains out after the party." She glances at me to see if I would react to it. I know my face says it all, but I try to play it off.

"Really? How was it? I'm surprised she left her number after ya'll were done."

Kyla nods her head in satisfaction. "I'm impressed. You handled that well."

"What can I say? I can keep my cool when need be." I smirk.

"Good. You'll need to later on."

I stare her down. "What's that suppose to mean?"

She starts laughing while heading towards the bathroom. "I'll be ready in twenty minutes."

"Yes!" Praise..errr..any deity! "Cool, I'll call Spencer back and tell her it's still on."

"Hey, Ashley."

"Yea?"

"Don't try to seduce her on the first date." She requests in a serious tone. I grin back at Kyla.

"I can't make any promises, sis."

"You ready to go?" I called upstairs. I glance at myself once more in the mirror. I decided to wear a dark green tee with a pair of jeans and matching Chucks, accentuating the curves, of course. Just because I am being casual for the date, doesn't mean I can't be sexy.

"Alright, let's head out." Kyla comes down wearing a gray t-shirt and black capris with flip-flops. I eye her up and down with scrutiny. "What?"

"That's what you're wearing?" She nods her head and we start to leave out the door. "Since when do you like wearing gray?"

"Since now." She shrugs. "I don't need to impress him. I'm just helping you out."

"Yea, yea, yea. Don't remind me." I reply while turning on some music. Ah, the sweet, melodious voice of Hayley Williams. Where have you been, love?

"This is gonna be weird." Kyla affirms. "I mean, you and me, going out with twins."

"No, it won't. It's just a date. It won't be weird, let's just hope things go cool and easy. As long as you keep Glen entertained."

"Ay, ay, Captain." She salutes me with a smile on her face.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll both have a good time…get lucky."

"Ashley.." Kyla warns.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding…" Well, mostly.

We get to the campus and Spencer texts me she and Glen will be down in 2 minutes. She puts a smiley face at the end which makes me all giddy inside for some reason. My phone lights up again thinking it's another text message from my blue-eyed beauty, but I see it's just Sanchez calling me.

"Where in the world have you been, Carmen Sandiego?" I hear her laugh on the other end.

"Hey, ho! I've been out and about. Doing this and that. The usual"

"Uh-huh! The usual being your face in a female's reproductive area?"

"Or vice versa. But, you know me too well, A."

"Hey, is that Carmen?" Kyla asks with a little excitement in her voice.

"Tell her it's Joan of Arc calling you for a one-night stand, baby." I hear Carmen say and she does a kiss sound.

I bust out laughing. "Shut up, C." I turn to Kyla. "Yea, it's Carmen."

"Tell her I said..'Hey'." I give my sister a sideways glance and she turns around embarrassed.

"Tell her I said.._Dejame lamber_-" I cut her off before she can finish.

"Carmen, I swear if it's something crude, I'm gonna lock you in a room with Kelly." I know it may seem good, but from what I hear, Kelly has been trying to get back with her since the party. Ha! Good riddance.

"Ok, I'll shut up." Carmen says quickly. "Yo, do ya'll wanna catch a movie or something? I'm kinda bored over here."

"No can do, amiga." I smile as I see Spencer and her brother heading towards us. "Me and Kyla are about to go on a date."

"Say what? A date with your sister? Ash, come on, I know Kyla's hot and all, but this is crossing the line." Ok, eww!

"Carm, you're an idiot. We're double dating with Spencer and Glen. We are going to the Olive Garden and then, who knows."

"Kyla is Goldilocks' date?" Carmen asks. "That's crazy. She doesn't even like him. Does she?" She adds seriously.

"I dunno. And who cares? It's just for today." Spencer's now six feet away. "I'll call you later and give you the details."

"Hold on-" I already hang up before she can get another word out. She'll understand where my attention is.

"Why, good evening, Miss Carlin." I flash her my nose crinkle grin which earns me a head tilt. I think we're gonna die from each other's cuteness.

"Hi, Ashley." She replies sweetly and eyes me slowly. I see that she crimped her hair so it's wavy. I like the look on her, it gives her a look of mischief. Especially, since she's wearing a jean skirt and a dark blue polo tee. "I see you remembered."

"What?"

"What my favorite color is."

"I remember everything you say to me." I beam. I see out of the corner of my eye, Kyla holding back a giggle as to what I said. A bit cheesy, I know, but it's the truth. Kyla and Glen exchange greetings with Glen appearing nervous while she's looking aloof. She looks up and down at Glen's outfit, probably wondering why he's wearing a long sleeve red polo with brown cargos and bedhead hair. What is with guys and the bedhead look?

"Your chariot awaits." I open the car door and hold out my hand. She grabs it and steps in. I catch the scent of her perfume on the way. "Damn, she smells tasty." I whisper to myself.

"Aren't you gonna open my door?" Kyla asks Glen with arms folded.

"Oh, of course." He winks and does the same gesture as I just did; but Kyla disregards him and just climbs in. I see Glen check out my sister's ass while she does. I'm about to say something when Spencer touches my arm and gives me a knowing look.

"That's Glen for you. He means no harm, Ash." Ash. Oh, I love the way she shortens my name to one syllable. Her voice just sounds so right for it.

I smile at her as I put my car in drive and we head off.

Olive Garden

We're all sitting at a table, waiting for our server to come back with our food. I see Kyla is busy texting and Glen looks like he's trying to calculate how much his and Kyla's dinner are gonna cost him. Poor kid. Should I tell him that I got the bill for everyone?

Spencer and I keep stealing glances at each other, but neither one of us is saying a word.

It's a comfortable silence. Yup. Oh, who am I kidding? It kinda sucks right now.

Kyla puts her phone away and stares at us one by one. "Well, someone should spark up a conversation."

I shoot her an angry look for her bluntness, but she's right. I'm looking at her to start though because I never been on a date that was, well...a date. It's mostly been straight to the girl's place or mine.

"Alright, how bout them Lakers?" We all look at Glen like he's an idiot.

"Glen, no one wants to talk about the Lakers." Spencer retorts. "They're losing their touch."

"What? No way! They're-"

"Moving right along.." Kyla interjects. "Glen, what's your major?"

"Oh" I bet he's a bit stunned that she's asking. "I'm studying to be a phys ed. teacher. Maybe even become a high school basketball coach."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" She says with an amused look.

"Yea, well, I'm pretty good at anything I show interest in." He beams.

"Was that suppose to have a double meaning?" Spencer asks with a smirk on her face.

"It can mean whatever Kyla wants it to mean, Spencer." He snaps back and then smiles at Kyla again. "What's your major, Kyla?"

"I plan to be a guidance counselor, actually."

"Maybe we can work in the same school and make out under the bleachers in our free period." His grin falters when he sees all our faces with the same annoyed look. "Joking, of course."

"I'm sure you were." I mutter under my breath. I turn to Spencer and we both shake our heads.

"Thanks for putting up with this." Spencer whispers to me. Her voice sounds even more velvety when it's low. Whoo! I need some water to cool me off.

"It's not a problem, Spencer. Really." I say gazing in her eyes. "I'll put up with any awkward situation to spend some time with you." Her eyes twinkle when I say this.

"That's a plus." She looks down and nibbles on her bottom lip. "I really am sorry about how I've been treating you, Ashley. I haven't had much of a track record when it comes to dates, it's kinda nervewrecking."

"Hey," I lift her chin up so she can look at me again. "You're preaching to the choir. Believe me."

The waiter comes with our food and I see Glen licking his lips. I don't know if it's because of the food or the guy that's serving it. He's a U.Q. Undeniably Queer.

You know the type, the one that looks like he goes to all the circuit parties.

"Can I get ya'll anything else?" The waiter says with a hint of a lisp.

"No, we're good, man. But thank you, Vincent." That was Glen answering for us. He and the waiter exchange flirtatious smiles. I can't believe he read his name tag. How did he know if the rest of us didn't want anything? I wanted extra parmesan shavings, dammit. I throw Kyla a look about her date's nonstop flirting, but she just shrugs her shoulders.

"Your brother seems to be enjoying all of his surroundings." I whisper to Spencer.

"Yea, a little too much." She giggles.

We start eating our food in silence, I watch Spencer eat hers tentatively while her brother just scarfs his down. Kyla seems bored stiff with her food.

"You're not from L.A. originally, right?" Glen asks attempting at a regular conversation

"That's right. Baltimore is my city."

"Cool, cool. Me and Spence spent some time in Baltimore." He said glancing at his sister. "They have some killer clubs."

"Really?" She smirks. "You ever been to the Paradox?" Oh, no. I remember spending Spring Break with Kyla in B-More. The Paradox had gay nights. Let's just say they do know how to have a good time over there.

Judging by Glen's reaction, I'm pretty sure he's been there. "I haven't heard much about it." He says quietly.

Spencer rolls her eyes. "Glen, cut the act. Everyone knows you ball for both teams." He looks at his sister in shock.

"You're so dead."

"It's not that big of a deal, Glen." Kyla assures him, she rubs his shoulder. "I think it's kinda hot." Now, it's my turn to look at my sister in shock. I don't know if she's serious or just egging him on.

"How long have both of you been out of the closet?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Well, mines is a revolving door." Glen laughs slightly.

"I've been out a little over two years." Spencer says softly, her expression looks like she's thinking about when it happened. Maybe, that was too soon of a question to ask. "When did you?"

"In eighth grade." Kyla replies, answering for me.

"Thank you, Kyla." I say with blatant sarcasm, she shoots me a sweet, equally sarcastic smile back.

"Is that true?" Spencer asks amazed at how young I was.

"Yea." I answer sheepishly. "But I didn't start hitting the club scene until 15." I don't know why I'm feeling a little self-conscious about it. Maybe, because I know that I've done more in my teen years than most guys or girls do in their 20s.

"Oh.." Spencer says nodding her head in understanding "You're more of a party girl than a laidback one."

"I am." I answer honestly while holding her gaze "But, I've been more of a homebody these days." She smiles slightly at my answer. Score one for me!

"I'm assuming I'm part of the reason you're a homebody now?" She asks daringly.

"Maybe…do you want to be?" I ask back, we are still holding each other's stare. I can see she's trying to think of an answer to give me, maybe even herself. "It's ok, 'baby blue', you have plenty of time to answer that."

"So, what do you want me to answer right now?" She's got a coy look on her face. I think this is her way of flirting and I find it absolutely adorable.

"Why did you give me such a hard time when we first met?"

She looks away and puts a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll answer if you answer mines first."

Ok, now I'm a little terrified, but I can't let her see me sweat. "Hmm…ok. Shoot!"

"When you first saw me, what's the main reason you followed me?" Bang! That's a loaded question. "Honestly." She adds with a quirked eyebrow.

I frown my face up a little, she's patiently waiting for an answer. "Well…I thought.." I glance at Kyla, she just gives me an expectant look as well. No fucking help, I tell you.

I tug Spencer so she leans in to me, I deepen my voice a little..you know the kind of voice. "that you were the most beautiful woman to ever set foot on campus, scratch that, to ever set foot in L.A..and I wanted to have you. So here, we are."

Her face turns scarlet before she sits up and gains her composure back. Oh, yea, I'm in there. "Is that all? You weren't calculating the days on how long it will take you to get me into your bed?" She tilts her head for added effect. Damn, I thought I had access granted.

I sip my water, "I'm not gonna lie to you.."

"Well?" She asks when a moment passes.

"No comment." I grin. "Just know that my direction of where I would like to be with you has changed a bit. For the better." She tries to look serious as she takes in my answer, but I know she's smiling underneath.

"Good to know. That can make or break a second date with me." She states with mock arrogance. She eyes me out of the corner of her eye, I just laugh it off.

"Are you gonna answer my question now?"

"You pretty much answered it yourself. I know the type of girl you are." She's staring into my eyes with a look of concern and a little jealousy. "It was evident with that girl at the party, I just wanna let you know that-"

"I know, Spencer." I take her hand into mine. "I can't hide who I am from you and I don't plan to. You're intelligent, which adds to your attractiveness. I just want a chance for you to get to know me, that's all I want, is a chance." Her smile turns bright at my revelation. I'm surprise myself by being so up front about it in front of my sister and her brother. I know if Carmen could see me now, she would rant about how pussy-whipped I am without even having any.

"Oh my god, A. Could you be any more of a cheesy romance novel? Whoo-psshh!" Ok, either my thoughts are really getting to me or Carmen is standing right there? Please let it be the first one. I look up and I see my best friend beaming back down.

"Carmen!" I must be dreaming. "What are you doing here?" I give Carmen a death glare and she shoots me a wink.

"I know, I know, how great of me to join you all, right?"

I look at Spencer who looks calm and amused by it. I look at Glen who is eyeing Carmen in what looks like the girliest stuff I seen her in awhile and lastly, I look at Kyla, who is smirking and holding up her phone. Kyla! She didn't….she did. It's bad enough to be on a double date, now I'm on a group one with two people that I don't want to see me being in a tender situation. Ashton Kutcher, come out! I know you're around here somewhere.

"Ya'll didn't eat all the breadsticks, right? I'm starving." And the hits just keep on coming. Why me?

* * *

**Ok, that's it for now. I had to leave it like that. Ya'll didn't think it was gonna be some short, slightly awkward date now, did ya? Reviews are always welcome as well as seeing those story/fav. story/fav. author alerts, this was the hardest one to write so far. Sheesh! Thanks for everything, ppls. :)**

**Sparkyleathers08-I understand that family comes first. It's no worries. I love your rambling review, it was humorous. =) I know Glen's a good guy, but he will only get so far with Kyla. Besides, he'll have someone else in mind.**

**Ladytink2011-Ur review made me ponder a bit. I had the idea of someone getting their feelings hurt in the story. I mean what's comedy without tragedy? It's still up in the air though.**

**iLoah-Wow! ****Ur**** English teacher would be proud of the translation. =) I had an idea of what it was about, but I wanted to be sure. That nubo part is actually 'Nuvo', the drink. It's just spelled that way cuz of the dude's accent. I wanted to send you a pm back with feedback, but it won't aloow me. Gracias (for the review & translation).**

**Smoochez32-Ahh! My newest reviewer. How did I leave the last one as a cliffhanger? Seriously, I wanna know. If anything, this one is. Lol! Thanks for the review, ma.**

**Songs used: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven; The L Word Theme Song (Seas. 2-6) by Betty**


	13. The More The Merrier?

**Started writing this chapter early since there are more Kymen fans…that and I felt guilty for turning in the last one so late, but got sidetracked with all these awesome (SON, Skins, & DTNG) stories that I've been reading. Is that how ya'll feel when you read this? Lol! Anyways, reviewers will be answered in the beginning and the end. Enjoy! =)**

**Ryoko05-Thank you for thinking it was awesome. You'll like this chap cause Carmen isn't going anywhere. ;)**

**Sparkyleathers08-Yea, that's my goal. Keep it interesting. You know, I didn't even realize the irony of Ashley saying she has bi-dar. Lmao! Glen and the waiter, lol, I didn't want Glen to be unacknowledged and I did say his bi-ness would show. ;)**

**HPlova4eva- Another new reviewer. I love how u put just one word. Lmao! But, a good review is better than no review, so thanks. :)**

**iLoah-Thanks, I will hold u to that *goes into the extensive Reggaeton & Bachata bag & pulls out Que Te Pica by Notch* Aww, you think I'm a great writer? *blush* Oye! Tengo una idea. Dejanos hablar en la idioma de la otra. Quiero mantener mi español mientras tu podrás entenderme y conteste en ingles. So, what ya say? :) **

**Disclaimer: I own one electric guitar (used to own 2 *sigh*) and a Rosetta Stone demo cd. Do not own SON or the songs though. **

* * *

Kyla's POV

Have you ever been an awkward moment where everyone is staring at each other? Staring because you know something has just changed in the game. This is one of those times…luckily we have Carmen as the comic relief. Aside from her munching on the breadsticks, the table is silent.

"Carmen, what the hell are you doing here? Ashley asks a little annoyed. Believe me, her face shows that she's more than annoyed.

"Well," Carmen swallows the last morsel of breadsticks. "I was bored in the house, no food in the fridge, just torture. So, I texted Kyla and she told me which Olive Garden ya'll were at." She winks at me and looks back at Ashley whose arms are folded. "I kill two birds with one stone this way, hanging out and eating out." She grins, I hear Glen chuckle next to me. What is he? 12?

"How nice of you to join us, Carmen." I say pleasantly, my face is probably portraying my emotions more because she actually came.

"Thank you, Miss Woods." She smiles back; she has an opaque shade of gray on above her eyes and a hint of lipgloss. She's not wearing her usual attire. Instead of a graphic tee or wifebeater, Carmen is wearing this crimson red sleeveless top that is wrapped around her waist like a robe. It accentuates her breasts flawlessly, I'm not much of a breast woman, but I am tonight. Her mid-thigh black jean skirt that leaves just enough to the imagination isn't helping me either..well it does leave some imagination, like her legs wrapped around my body while she's gyrating underneath me..or above me. God, get a grip, Kyla. I'm surprised Ashley can't see the lust in my eyes right now.

"Yes, very nice, indeed." Glen says practically drooling. I slap him in the chest; partly because he took the words right out of my mouth. "I mean, take a seat."

Carmen chuckles as she pulls a chair over. "Down, _perro_, down." Ha! She should be saying that to me. She takes a seat between me and Ashley. "What are we having?"

"C, we're almost done here." Ashley says curtly. "You realize you're crashing our date, right?"

Carmen looks at me and Ashley's dates. "Spencer, Glen, what up, you two? Enjoying the food?" Ashley is fuming, Spencer strokes one of her clenched fists which she unclenches a little for access. Whipped.

"Hi, Carmen. I like your outfit." Spencer replies.

"Yea, I do too." Glen adds with a whistle.

"Easy, blondie bears. I don't wanna get the Davies sisters here all jealous." I hear Spencer laugh a little until Ashley glances at her making her stop in the process.

"I haven't seen you in more than a week and then you just show up?"

"Aww, A, you miss me?" She goes to pat Ashley on the head, but she swats her hand away. I see my sister's hard exterior cracking as she shakes her head

"You're an asshole, you know that?"

"But, I'm your asshole, bestie." She pondered for a moment and waved her finger. "Ok, that didn't come out right." We all started laughing.

"So, since you're crashing and everything, where's your hot date?" Glen asks with a smirk. "Cause I know you have one."

"Glen, Glen, your version and my version of hot might be two different views, my man." She takes a sip of Ashley's water which earns her an eye roll. "But, she's coming, she's parking the car."

Oh, so, Carmen does have a date. I should have known that. When I texted her where we were at, I told her she might feel like the fifth wheel. She told me she'll take care of it, but I didn't know she would have an actual date.

"Who is it, C?" Ashley quirks an eyebrow. "Cause you're good, but your skills are not that good to get a girl on short notice."

"Oh, you know, an old friend.." Carmen says casually.

"Both of you have a lot of old friends." I mutter under my breath. Ashley darts her eyes at me and gives me a silent warning. "So, where is the lucky lady?" I ask in curiosity.

"Sorry for the wait, ma. Parking for this place is a bitch." I hear a low, smooth voice say. We all look in the direction of the voice. I see my sister roll her eyes while the rest of us look on. The girl is about Glen's height, cocoa skinned, black hair that's in cornrows, with arm sleeve tattoos and a labret piercing. "What's good, ya'll?"

"More like gentlelady." Glen nudges me in my side "Get it?" He chuckles, I nudge him back harder to tell him to shut up.

"So what if she's a stud?" I whisper at him.

"I thought the term was 'butch'."

"It's interchangable but 'stud' is more prevalent in the Black commun-Why am I having this discussion with you?" I flag him off and he gives me a knowing smile. I'm starting to think his hair color matches his intellect perfectly.

We hear the last of Carmen introduce her date to Spencer when she turns to us. "That's Glen, Spencer's twin" Glen gives her a manly shake.

"Nice to meet you, man." She says, her accent has a slight southern drawl to it, guess she's not a West coast native either.

"Cool shirt." He points to her 'business suit' t-shirt. "I got about 3 of those at home, different colors." Why am I not surprised?

"and this is Kyla, Ashley's little sis." I see the girl give me a once-over and lick her lips, Carmen gives her a cold look which makes her straighten up in her chair as she gives her an apologetic shrug.

"Nice to meet you, Kyla. I see Carmen wasn't lying about you bein as attractive as your big sis here." She flashes me a wide-tooth grin. . I don't like her already, just cause she thinks she's so suave and because she has a piercing that's so cliché and…fuck it, it's because she is Carmen's date, ok? You happy? Stupid green-eyed monster.

"Easy, Keys." Carmen warns. Carmen gives me a quick look. So, she's mentioned me, huh?

"Nice to meet you, too." I said plainly. "Interesting name you have, _Keys_."

"Oh, it's a nickname, my real name is Marquita." I nod my head, not intrigued by what her nickname means, it's probably just short for her real name.

"So, where did you get the nickname from?" Glen asks, I kick him under the table. "Ow! What? I wanna know." Carmen, Ashley, and Keys give each other a look and start snickering.

"Either of you ladies wanna do the honors in explaining how?" Keys watches Carmen and Ashley.

"She got it from us, Glen. Cause when ever she had a girl over, we would always end up hearing them two have sex."

He looks confused, but smiles anyway. "Oh ok.."

"You don't get it, do you, Goldilocks?" Carmen laughs. "Keys makes girls hit high notes like the keys on a piano."

Everybody bursts into laughter, including Spencer who giggles a little. All except me.

I wouldn't want to hear the high notes of the girls Keys had, it's bad enough to hear my own sister. Although, that hasn't happened at all since she started talking with Spencer.

"I never pegged you to be the submissive one, Carmen." Glen states in a snide manner. I shoot a shocked look at Glen while Spencer pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. Ashley looks like she just wants to get out of this whole arrangement.

The food comes and it's 'Vincent' again. We see Glen and the waiter exchange smiles again and a piece of paper being slipped on the table. I'm a tad hurt, I know I don't want Glen, but damn, can he at least act like it's a date?

Carmen sees my face and snorts in his direction, "I never pegged you to be a bottom that likes other bottoms, Glen. What's that called? A twink?"

"Hey! I'm no twink, alright. Don't let the boyish looks fool you. I just like variety, that's all."

"And so do I." They give each other an appreciative nod and clink glasses. Ugh! I'm through with this, this is not what I thought would happen.

"Excuse me. Bathroom." I state hastily.

"Me too." Ashley adds. She whispers in Spencer's ear. "Be right back." We're in a restaurant, where else is she gonna go? I see Ashley's expression go from jovial to irritated in a matter of seconds. Uh-oh! I guess she's still not fine with Carmen showing up. I almost sit back down, but I would look silly if I do that.

Once we are in the bathroom, Ashley stands at the door eyeing me down, thinking if should she kill me now or later.

"So, umm…" I gulp. "Surprise?" I say it more as a question that an exclamation.

"Do you just hate me that much for what I did?" She asks with disbelief. "I'd really like to know cause I apologized and I even made a deal with you."

"Ashley.." I start my plea.

"No, don't 'Ashley' me." She runs her hands through her hair. "I just wanted a nice, quiet date with Spencer, that's it. Then, she hit me with the double date thing. Ok, didn't like it, but I'll deal." I try to speak again but she holds a finger up.

"Then, because you're mad at me or you're not liking your date or whatever the case may be, you go and invite Carmen, too, who THEN, chooses Keys as her date. Do you realize I'm not gonna have any alone time with Spencer or the fact that Carmen might say something about me that turns her off from me completely?"

"Listen, Ashley, I apologize. I didn't think it was gonna be some big thing. I thought you would feel more comfortable with your best friend around, you know, be more entertaining."

"Entertaining for me or for you? Kyla, it's Carm." She gives me an uneasy look. "I love her to death, but she can say some shit without thinking if it's appropriate or not." I nod in approval. "Plus, Keys is with her and I don't want both her and Carmen to bring up-"

"Yea, who is she anyways?" I interject. Ashley sighs and fixes herself up in the mirror.

"She's an old friend to both of us, our party connect. We known her since we were 15, but her and Carmen were always closer with both of them being into art and all. Keys only stayed for a couple years then moved back to Atlanta with her sister."

"So, why is she here now?"

"I don't know. Maybe she missed it here." My sister smirks a bit. "Or maybe she just missed Carmen."

"They used to date?" I ask nonchalantly yet hoping the tone of my voice doesn't betray me.

"Ha! More like fuck buddies. They have a lot in common, but could never see each other in a relationship and that's the reason why. After she left, that's when Kelly came along."

"So Carmen actually likes the idea of having someone around, but not committing to that someone?"

"Yea, Ky, we both are like that. Love comes in many forms, you know." She grins and I give her a smug look.

"I don't think you can include yourself in the equation anymore. You may got Carmen fooled, but not me. You are really feeling her and I know it's more than just wanting her in your bed." I fold my arms for emphasis.

She says nothing and then turns her gaze to me. "I knew you were the smart one."

I giggle at her flattering remark. "Thanks, but what does that make you?"

"The hot one, of course."

"Ash!"

"Fine…the hotter one." She winks and I shove her out the door.

"Finally, me and Keys already finished our dinner and our mints." Carmen states pointing out the wrappers.

"Sorry, we needed to have a quick sister talk." Ashley replies. She helps Spencer out of her chair, even though she's capable of doing it herself.

"Where to next, lovely ladies?" Glen clears his throat "and twink?" Glen flips her the bird and she blows him a kiss.

"Well, I hear there's a carnival in town." Spencer suggests. "We can go there."

"Where in town?" I ask. "I mean this is a pretty big town." It would be like a needle in a haystack.

"Don't worry, I'll find it on my GPS." Ashley assures us. She eyes Spencer expectantly. "Is that what you wanna do?"

Spencer gives my sister a head tilt and bites her lip. "Yea. If that's ok? I know it may sound childish.."

"No, no, it's fine. Let's go."

"Yea, sure, Ash. It's fine with us, too." Carmen adds sarcastically. Ashley throws me her 'I told you so' face, I just shrug my shoulders.

"You can follow my car, Keys. Let's get out of here. I got the bill."

"It's cool, Ash. I got me and Carmen's meals." She pulls out a wad of money.

"Hmm. I wonder what she does for a living." Glen whispers suspiciously. The irony though is that he can't whisper at all.

Keys gives glen a sideways look. "Actually, I'm a tattoo artist, business has been good to me lately. I do piercings, too."

"Oh, really that's cool." He puffs his chest out. "I've been thinking about getting some ink done, like a Celtic design on my back. How much you charge?"

Spencer chuckles at her brother. "Glen, please, you chickened out on getting your ears pierced. What makes you think you can handle getting a tat?"

Glen looks at the rest of us in annoyance while we stifle a laugh. "Way to chop my manhood off there, sis."

"That's what I'm here for. To embarrass you like you do me." She grins.

"Oh, I haven't embarrassed you yet." Glen says with a smug look and turns to my sister. "Ashley, you should ask Spencer if she's been having trouble sleeping-" Spencer puts her hand over Glen's mouth.

"Not. Another. Word." She orders with an intimidating look. I see Ashley's gaze on Spencer turn into one of arousal. Eww, my sister is fantasizing right now. Probably on some BDSM tip. Eww, stop it, brain. Think of Carmen, think of how great her ass and legs look in that skirt. Think of how Keys and Carmen were probably screwing this past week. Fuck you, brain, just fuck you.

"Let's go, shall we?" I interrupt the sibling showdown as well as my own thoughts and lead the way out the door. This is gonna be some night.

Carnival

_"Baby, I can break it down._

_There's so many ways to love ya._

_Got me like oh my gosh, I'm so in love _

_I found you make me wanna say _

_oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh_

_Oh my gosh!"_

"Alright, folks! Thank you for riding the Gravitron. Be safe out there and have a good night!" The announcer/dj yells in the microphone. Thank the Divine. If I heard one more 'oh', I was gonna murder the guy.

"I can't believe we got on that ride. It messed up my hair." If you had to guess right now who is complaining, who would you say? Ashley? Me, maybe? Or..?

"Quit your whining, twink. I'm beginning to think your whole jock image is a façade. Pitcher in the streets and catcher in the sheets."

"Shut up, Carmen." Glen spits back as a comeback. He's still fixing his hair a bit, I roll my eyes for what seems to be the millionth time tonight.

"Cut it out, you two." Spencer says in a maternal tone. She turns back to Ashley and elopes their fingers together. "So, what do you wanna get on now?"

I can see Ashley thinking about how it was said and I give her a disapproving look. "I don't know." She replies. "Guys, any suggestions?"

"Let's go on the log ride." Keys proposes. Carmen stares at her like she's loony.

"Uhm, do you not see what I'm wearing here?"

"Of course I do, ma." She looks Carmen up and down shamelessly. "I saw what you were wearing before you put the outfit on." Carmen cuts her eyes at me with a hint of remorse, then puts her attention on Keys again. Whatever. She doesn't owe me anything.

"Let's get on the 'Hell House' ride." I say eagerly. I do not want to look at both my sister and the girl I like boo-love in front of me. It's funny. I don't even hear the term 'boo-lovin' over here in L.A.

"Aww, no, Ky-Ky, I'm good." Keys speaks up. Ky-ky. Who is she calling 'Ky-ky'? Like we grew up together or something. "The last time I was on a ride like that, I ended up punching one of the workers cause they scared the hell out of me."

Everybody starts giggling at the statement. Even I do, though I don't want to. I wanna not like her, but she's like Carmen in the way she carries herself; just a more…street version. I can see why they get along so well.

"Pfft!" Carmen exclams. "Any other cowards wanna sit this one out?"

"Actually, I gotta head to the bathroom. You can go on without me." Glen says in a rush and gets out the line.

"Yea, I'm gonna make a bathroom run, too." Keys adds and goes in the same direction.

Spencer and Ashley both look at each other and shrug their shoulders at the same time. Great. Now, they upgraded to syncopated movements. Next, will be the U-Haul, followed by a turkey baster.

Carmen slides up next to me. Both of us forgetting we have a voice. After a moment or so, Carmen speaks to me. "So, Hell House, huh? I thought you would've picked the ferris wheel or something."

"What for?" I ask not really caring. Yea, I'm giving her the cold shoulder. Yea, I'm a bit bitter, so what?

"Nevermind." She says quickly. Another moment passes. "I just thought since you're on a date with Glen, you might wanna be suspended in the air for a few minutes alone."

"Would you rather have me picked that for you and Marquita? Oh, I'm sorry." I lower my voice an octave. "_Keys_."

Carmen smirks and lowers her voice to a whisper, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a little jealous, _hadita._"

"And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you give a damn if I was, Carmenita Tropicana."

"You really have been watching too much L Word. Then again, I guess I'm kinda like Papi, except my accent is real." I shake my head. "Be honest, Kyla. You mad that I have me a brown Barbie?"

"More like brown Ken." I joke, which earns me another smirk. Does she have to give me that look, it's just too damn sexy. "I thought you weren't into studs."

"I am when they cooperate. Don't let her look fool you, she's can be a pillow princess at times."

I put my fingers in my ears. "I don't wanna hear this."

"Alright, alright, I'll stop." I see Spencer in front of us shiver and Ashley timidly puts her arms around her to create some warmth. It makes me beam a bit. "They really do make a cute couple, huh?"

"Yea, Ashley might get her player's card revoked because of her."

"Never. A is my girl. I say it's a short-term thing, 6 weeks tops." She says with a hint of uncertainty. I think she's trying to convince herself more than me.

"I believe you're wrong."

"You wanna put a wager on it?"

"I don't put a wager on love." I state seriously. "You should know that about me." I glance away from Carmen and see Keys & Glen playing a game where you knock the milk bottles over with a baseball. All these carnival games are rigged though.

"You're absolutely right, I'm sorry." She replies quietly and looks down like a kid that stole a cookie before dinner. "Let's stop talking about this love stuff before you turn me all mushy and whatnot."

"I think deep down inside you're afraid of love, Carm." I continue. She breathes out heavily, which makes her breasts oh so reachable. Not the time, Kyla. "You and Ashley both. Because you don't wanna get hurt which is understandable."

"If I say yes, will that you shut up?"

"No."

"Then, you can think what you wanna think." Pauses. "It could be I don't wanna hurt them."

"Them?"

"Yea, your heart can belong to more than one person."

"Not mines." I mumble.

"Hey guys, we're up now." Spencer calls out.

It's two people per seating, so of course, Spencer and Ashley get in together. Spencer looks a little scared, but excited at the same time. Ashley looks like she's happy that she will be somewhere dark with Spencer.

"You girls ready?" The guy dressed up as a skeleton asks us.

"We sure are, Mr. Bones!" Carmen replies with a kool-aid smile. Obviously in jest.

Skeleton guy mutters "Smartass" towards carmen and gives us a hard push inside.

There's a strobe light on to make everything seem a bit more spooky. We see a werewolf pop out in front of Spencer and Ashley which makes Spencer clutches on to my sister's arm. Ashley backs away a little too at the surprise, but laughs it off.

Carmen bursts into a fit of giggles. "Did you see their reaction? Man, they was so scar-AHH! Holy shit!" Carmen practically jumps out of her seat and into my arms when a guy wearing a bloody costume with a Jason mask pops out.

"Are you alright?" I ask her while trying to hold in my laughter.

"What? Oh, I'm cool. I'm fine." She settles back down a bit. "The asshole just took me by surprise, that's all."

"That's their job, Carmen." I smile. Who would've thought bad-ass Sanchez would be scared of a dude in a mask? She's still sitting kinda close to me.

"Maybe that was my diversion so I can get on top of you." Even with the strobe light on, I can see the mischief in her eyes.

"This may be L.A., Carm, but you're not that good of an actress. That was pure terror." She pushes me lightly. "Besides, there's easier, more effective ways than that."

I hear her pause. I got her now, she's curious. "Which are?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." I return the mischievous expression. A blood curdling scream is heard and she's grabs on to my waist. "Oh my god, Carmen. Shouldn't you be used to screams by now?"

"Of pleasure, baby. Not pain." She lets go of my waist slowly. "I bet I'm hanging in better than Goldilocks would."

I laugh. "Probably." I see Ashley whisper something in Spencer's ear and I see Spencer pause and then nod with a smile on her face. "I think they're about to ditch us." I say to Carmen.

She looks ahead. "Let them. They deserve it. Dealing with us the whole night, they need some time alone together." I couldn't have agreed more. "AHH! AHH! Fuck, I hate clowns!" Carmen shouts as the ride comes to an end, the last guy in a zombie clown costume that scared us *ahem*…her waves us off. "Fake-ass IT!"

We get off and don't see Spencer or Ashley in sight. "I told you they were gonna ditch us."

"Oh, well, at least we have each other." Carmen beams.

"Correction: I have Glen and you have Marquita." I point out.

Her smile falters a bit, she goes behind me and whispers in my ear. Her right breast pressed up against my spine. "Only for tonight. It's anybody's game afterwards, _hadita_."

Resist her, Kyla. Don't fall into it.

"Well, let the games begin." I counter and walk off to find the rest of our group.

Spencer's POV

As soon as Ashley and I get off the ride, we race off to the Mirror Maze. Looks like it's only a couple of people waiting for it.

"Why didn't I think of this sooner?"

"I don't know, I'm asking myself the same question." Ashley replies. She's looking at me with so much desire. Not the lust-filled desire when she first met me, more like the desire to have me all by herself and the feeling's mutual. I really didn't think it would be that big of a deal with Glen and Kyla on the date, but I should've known better with Glen. That and I know for a fact Kyla's not into Glen. She prefers raven-haired..people.

"How long do you think it will take them to realize we're gone."

"Not long at all." Ashley frowns a bit. "Kyla knows me, so she would suspect something like this."

"Is this where you take all your girls to?" I ask in a curious, yet joking way.

She gazes into my eyes. "Never." It makes me look down being in her intense stare. "You look beautiful tonight by the way. I don't know if I complimented you or not tonight. But, if I did already, let me just say it again." She steps closer and keeps her eyes on me. "You look beautiful tonight, Spencer."

Part of me wants to cry cause it's been a long time since I heard anyone say that to me. Flashbacks start to appear, but I push them way down. This is not the same scenario. New start, Carlin.

"Come on, let's go inside." I run ahead of her and I can hear her call out my name. I feel it's nothing like a chase and catch. That's how this all began, right?

Two minutes into it, I realize that I'm already lost in this maze. I keep bumping into mirrors that I think are passages and screwing up my knees something horrible. I can hear Your Body Is a Wonderland playing from the merry go round next to us.

"Spencer? Spence, come on. This isn't funny." I hear Ashley call out.

I see a path up a few feet to my right and notice that I'm in a center facing a bunch of mirrors. I can hear her getting closer, so I hide but make sure my reflection is being shown on all the mirrors. Don't ask me why I'm hiding, it's just fun to play this little innocent game with her. It's not like me hiding is supposed to be symbolic…right?

"Spencer?" I hear her raspy voice whisper. My name sounds so good, so comforting coming from her lips.

"You have to find me." I reply my voice echoing off the glass.

Her eyes pop out for a split second. Then, she smirks. "Am I in a fantasy right now? Or did you multiply?"

I giggle. "Nope, it's a fantasy come true."

"I'm kidding." She walks around the circle of MEs until she stops at the real 'me'. "I'll be satisfied with just one of you."

"That's charming."

She grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me towards her. "It's not charm, if it's the truth, Carlin." Cue the nose-crinkle grin. Is it wrong that I wanna bite her nose when she does that? Not hard or anything, just…oh my god! How perverted of me!

I shake my head. "You're too much, Davies."

"Yea, but can you handle me?" She asks with curiosity

"Maybe, that depends…" I look down again, she crouches down so she can bring my gaze back up.

"On what?" I stay silent. Talks about the ex should not be on a first date. "I understand. Whoever she was, she was a fool to let you go."

"Don't.." I plead. "Now is not the time. I don't want this night to be ruined with the past."

"That's alright. Another day." She says understanding. "I hope I get a prize for finding you."

"What would you like?" I ask coyly.

"A kiss would be nice, if that's not too forward." I see her chocolate brown eyes go from milk to dark. I'm a little out of my element, but her those full lips of hers seem to be crying out for me.

"Umm…" She gets closer to me and I can feel the warmth of her breath tickling my face. Ashley doesn't move any closer, she's waiting on me to close the gap and I'm just standing there in a daze. Either do it or don't, dammit! I send her a shy smile and close the rest of the gap…

"There you are! We've been looking all over for you." We hear Kyla say. We turn and see everybody looking at us. We are still in our embrace, but reluctantly let go. Why?

Why? Why?

"Fuck!" I hear Ashley curse under her breath. I would find it hot considering how it would sound in a different circumstance, but I share her frustration and displeasure. I'm really gonna shave Glen's eyebrows off or something for talking me into this double date.

"The place is about to close. I think we should call it a night." I hear Glen suggest. I cut my eyes at my brother. Just because his date is crushin more on Ashley's best friend than him doesn't mean he has to ruin it for me.

"Alright, we'll be right behind you." I reply hastily. Me and Ashley's deadly expressions must've made them move fast. "I'm sorry about that-"

"Hey, shh, it's not your fault." She replies sweetly. "I told you it wouldn't take them long.

"Maybe, I shouldn't have ran from you, huh? It would've given us more time."

She shrugs. "We'll have plenty of time." I know she's a little upset, but at least she's stoic about it. "So…where were we?" I tilt my head in amusement. "I guess the moment's gone, huh?"

"Yea, I reply, but not because of that."

"Then, why?"

"Because I just remembered." I speak softly in her ear. "I don't kiss on the first date."

With that said, Ashley gives me a quick, yet sweet kiss on the cheek. "There's an exception when it comes to me, 'baby blue'."

I'm shocked by her boldness, yet turned on at the same time. I take her by the hand. "Well, maybe you might get more on the second date." I wink and she blushes. "Come on, they're waiting for us.

"Ok." Ashley sighs and mutters under her breath, "Damn group dates."

Kyla's POV (again)

I look over and see Spencer and Ashley coming out the Mirror Maze. "Finally! It's about time."

My sister frowns her face up at my exaggeration. "We were only in there for two more minutes, Kyla."

"You can do a lot in two minutes." Carmen adds wiggling her eyebrows.

_"Lick it. Better lick it right._

_Touch it. Better touch it right._

_Kiss it. Better kiss it right._

_Do that pussy right."_

Seriously? Who has that as a ringtone?

"Excuse me. I gotta take this call." Keys tells us and walks a little ahead to the cars. Of course, it would be her phone. What other sex-crazed lesbo would have-

"I used to have that song as my ringtone." Carmen proudly confirms. And I stand corrected.

"Why is that not surprising?" Glen retorts. Oh, Glen. I forgot. We're on a date. Together.

Carmen gives him a sideways glance and shakes her head. "Alright, ya'll. I had a good time with you folks tonight. We should do it again sometime."

"Yea, how bout the first or fifteenth of Neveruary." Ashley replies with a grin.

"Sounds good to me." Carmen grins back and points at me and my sister. "I'll hit you two up later."

I watch Carmen, pretty, comical, carefree Carmen get in the car with Marquita and drive away. "Probably going to Key's house tonight." Ashley concludes, which makes me feel bitter. Bitter cause I'm not out to my sister, bitter cause Carmen must not think I'm being serious, and bitter cause I'm on a date with a person that's not her while she's on a date with a person that's not me. I look over to my left and see Glen eyeing me down. He stares for a couple more seconds and then quickens his pace to the car.

The car ride back to the twin's dorms is a quiet one. Content for the love birds in the front while awkward for me and Glen in the back..well awkward for me anyways. Spencer and Ashley get out of the car first and stroll ahead.

"Well?" Glen poses the question without looking at me, he lets it hang in the air.

"Well, thanks for the date. Even though it was more so for our sisters." I laugh uneasily.

He looks at me with a skeptical gaze and then just gets out the car. I follow him out of the car, surprised by his attitude. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yea, the fact that you can't admit that you are obviously crushing on Carmen." He folds his arms and stares me down. He looks a little hurt.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't think..I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Glen." I really do look and feel guilty. I did not know this boy liked me, I thought he just wanted to get in my pants.

"I mean..don't get me wrong, you're hot and everything, but I did want to get to know you." He nods his head in awareness. "However, I notice tonight that she was the only one you had your eyes on." He gives me a sad smile. "Why do you think I left to go to the bathroom?"

I stare up at him in shock. "You did that..for me?"

"Yea, I did." He puts his hands on my shoulders like he's coaching me. "Look, Kyla, I'ma tell you like I told my sister: Go for it. She wants you, trust me."

"What if it's not in the same way as I want her?" I bite my lip. He smirks at my anxiety.

"I've got my sources. It's the same, even if she won't admit it just yet."

I air out a heavy breath to calm myself. "Alright, I'll see what happens. Thanks, Glen. You're not so much of a tool after all." I ruffle up his hair.

He snickers. "Oh, I'm still a douche. Because when you guys do hook up, I wanna watch." He winks at me.

"Eww! I knew it was too good to be true." He shrugs. "Are you gonna call that waiter guy? He was cute." I say grinning.

"The word 'cute' doesn't do him justice. More like 'sexy' or 'exotic', I mean did you see his eyes and that skin tone?" Glen stares off and daydreams.

"I guess that's a yes, then." He grins and I do the same. "So…friends?"

"Friends." He gives me a short, brotherly hug. "Have a good night, Ky."

"You too, Glen."

I walk back to the car, feeling glad that we are in agreement on the friend level. Ashley hops back in a minute later.

"Let's head home." She says

Neither of us are saying anything. We are in our own thoughts. I know we are both thinking about girls and how we can attain them. Mines may be more difficult now than hers.

"Kyla, I gotta know." Ashley say interrupting my thoughts. Uh-oh, now what? Did she notice too like Glen did? "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, but.."

Oh, no! Here it comes! "Was that really Carmen screaming like a bitch while we were on that haunted house ride?"

I try to hold my laughter in, but it just come flooding out. "Yea, big time." Ashley joins me in my fit of giggles.

"I'm not gonna let her live that down. Man, what a pussy."

"Sometimes, you are what you eat." I smirk. My sister looks at me and shakes her head. She puts on some Kid Cudi and speeds home.

* * *

**So? Did you like? I like! Lol! I decided to throw a little Spashley in there since it was suppose to be their date. My question for you readers is do you want me to do Carmen's pov or Spencer's pov. I have two different ideas for each; however, they can coincide with each other if desired. Your choice. I like to keep ya'll happy. As always, tell me what you think. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? I'm all 'eyes'. Chau! =) **

**P.S. If you haven't already, watch Rihanna's 'Te Amo' video. It's on Trust me, you will enjoy it. **

**Shain777-Wow! I can't believe you quoted a line from my story. That's the big leagues right there. Loved your metaphor by the way. I had quite a few contacts like Nina Flowers back in the day. Carmen in a dress? Hmm…let's see if your right. Ashley pullin a Danny from Grease move? You shall see. That's all I can say. **

**Sonfan92-Thank you for thinking my story is really good. =) I know right? Poor Ashley, indeed. I felt kinda bad when writing that cause she can't seem to catch a break. Smh. Haha!**

**Tellmeyoullstay-Trust me, you're not the only one excited about Carmen showing up. You might be the only one to scream like a fangirl though..or at least to admit it. I love your reaction. ;)**

**Degrassi1son-Lol! I'm in your head, my little reviewer. I'm trying to sense what ya'll ppls are thinking and how ya'll may want the story to advance, ya know? :)**

**Nilegirl-Another new reviewer, yay! Thanks for being a huge fan. I knew at least someone thought that Carmen messed up Spashley's moment. Thanks for saying it, even though I see it as karma. Lol! **

**Songs used: OMG by Usher feat. Will. I. Am.; Your Body Is A Wonderland by John Mayer; Lick It by God-des and She**


	14. All Is Fair In Love & War

**Can I just say that all these favorite story/favorite author/reviews alerts,etc…make my effin day! Like real talk *claps hands*, true story, kid; whatever other street terminology that shows my seriousness. Lol! That and I'm staying on top of my school work (mostly A's, suckas!). Warning: More songs than usual in this one. Anywho, you know the drill with the reviews. **

**Slushhy: U gave me my 100th review. *gives you a bucket of ****Kentucky**** Grilled Chicken* Is your keyboard alright? Lol! Honestly, that's what takes me so long with the updates. I think 'Hmm..what would I laugh my ass off to in a story like this?' It's ok that you didn't review the other chap, no worries, just as long as you're being entertained. I'm trying to balance Spashley out first, so I can get Kymen going. =)**

**Shain777: 1 word for ****ur**** review: LMFAO! What was wrong with the kool-aid? Too much water & purple, not enough sugar? Haha! More quoting on ****ur**** part, huh? I know, I was thinking the U-Haul came with the fake marriage on the side, no need to say anything about it. Lol! My image of 'Keys' is basically the hip-hop dancer Teyana Taylor. If you don't know who she is, PLEASE look her up. Roll my eyes u moving along Spencer's POV; such a Kymen fan. Thanks for the 5 stars. =)**

**Momo0424: No, it's not sad…cuz I forgot, too. Lmao! I'm making Ashley into a sap faster than I thought, but no complaints. Carmen getting the shit scared outta her was funny to me, too cause I could only see that happening to her. It won't be too long of a wait for either couple; however, they might have to wait for other activities. *evil laugh* Glad ya like the songs, too. =)**

**Sparkyleathers08: The bi-dar definitely is faulty when it comes to siblings. Yea, I thought they would be good as friends and not just because they are both bi. =) Glen's bi-ness is so funny to write and I guess it's even funnier to read, huh? Lol! Thanks 4 the review.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own SON or the songs; just own a Swiss ball and some healing crystals. Lol!**

* * *

Carmen's POV

Keys keeps giving me the side-eye as she drives me home. You know the look, the look that says 'I know that you don't wanna tell me shit, but you will cause I know you.' So, I shoot her a look back that says, 'Don't you even try it, ho.' She has Trey Songz' 'Sex Room' playing lightly, I can't stand this song, but this is definitely going on my 'pantydroppers mix' cause I know girls love it.

"She's a little cutie, I see that now. I bet she thinks badly of me though." Keys says out of the blue, she glances at me to see if I respond.

"I'm pretty sure Spencer doesn't think that about anyone, she seems too nice for it. But, I'll agree with you, she's a cutie. Ashley is gonna have fun with her once they get to that level, I got a feeling she's gonna make her wait." Obviously, I know who Keys is referring to.

Keys shakes her head in amusement at my avoidance. "You know damn well who I'm talking bout, Carmen. So don't play 'round like you don't."

"I'm not. I thought you meant Spencer" I lie through my teeth. "…unless you meant Glen." I jest.

"Oh, yea, cause you know me. I'm all about the penis." She says with obvious sarcasm, waving her hands up in the air for effect. Her knee is steering the wheel, so we're not gonna die or anything. "Although, he did beat me in that baseball game, a man that can't let a woman win is no man for me." We both laugh and then she shuts up and eyes me down again.

"Oh, no. Why we stop laughing?" I ask jokingly, trying to keep an easygoing vibe.

"On some real shit, Carmen, just admit to me that you're feeling Kyla." My jaw hangs slightly from her bluntness, but that's Keys for you. "Admit that you can tell the feeling's mutual cause shorty was mean-mugging me all night." She points to my ass. "Probably cause she's jealous that I'm tappin it and she's not.

"Keys, you're wildin. I'm not admitting to anything." I fold my arms. "What makes you think I like Kyla?" I know I'm being a bit of a brat here, but no way is she putting me in this tight spot.

"The fact that you won't talk about it is first." She points out.

"I can talk about anything with you, you're my girl. You know that, Keys."

"Then let's rap about it. I mean you hit me up after I just left to drag me on this date. I just threw on a t-shirt & some cargos and when I pick you up, you're dressed like this."

She grabs at my skirt, but it's sticking to my curves too much for her to grasp it. "See? I can't even grab the damn thing, so you must've been trying to impress somebody."

"What makes you think I wasn't trying to impress you?" I wink, she lets out a chuckle.

"Because I've seen you naked many times before. There's no need to impress me, kid."

I flag her off. "Whatever. Don't act you like you don't like me wearing it."

"Oh, I do, I usually see you in clothes more of my style. I just know it was for her and not for me, which is fine. She noticed just to let you know, I saw Kyla scoping you out hard, I mean HARD." She says 'hard' like 'hoorrd' as if to make it sound more significant. So, little Miss Woods was checking me out, huh? I should dress like this more often.

"So what if she was scoping me out? Are you getting jealous?" I question humorously.

"Ha! I'm the least of your worries, babe. It's fine by me if you wanna stop. I'm not your keeper like some other girls you dealt with." She smirks; I shudder at the mere mention.

"Ugh! Don't bring Kelly up."

"Alright, alright. I won't…what's with you and girls with K names?"

"Bitch, your real name doesn't even begin with a 'K'." I point out

"Yea, but I use my alias more than my real name, so it counts." She replies. "She's still trying to get back with you?"

"I delete a text every few days from her. She was never with me to begin with. It was just sex."

"I get it. My little Carmen is saving her love for a special lady. I'm just keeping you occupied until you get the balls to go after Ky Ky." She pats my head like a child and I punch her playfully in the side.

"I see you got jokes tonight, huh?" She rubs her side. "Can we drop both 'K's out of this convo, please?"

"Question: you think Glen is getting his good night goodies from Kyla by now?" She smirks as my nose flares up from the image. He better not...great, now I sound like Ashley. "She does have some kissable lips."

"Yea, she does." I agree without thinking about what I said. I look over to Keys, who's giving me a victorious grin. "Shit. Why can't you just not talk about anything that has to do with Kyla?"

"Exactly my point." See? This is why it's only sex with Keys, she can see right through me. "Why can't you admit that you like her?" I say nothing, I just look out the window as we get closer to my house. "Are you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid of any girl" I pause to ponder. "except, my mom." Every girl is scared of their mom, just a little bit...or maybe that's just a Latin thing.

"How is your mom doin by the way? Still lookin sexy as ever?"

"I'ma tell you like I tell Ashley. Watch it!" I give her a harsh look. I hate having a milf for a mom, but at least I know that's where I get my good looks from.

"Whoo! I like when ya get all riled up. Your eyes change colors when it happens, it's hot." She smiles and I break down giggling.

"You're a mess. No wonder it would never work between us."

"But, it could work for you and Kyla." She urges. What is she? A spokesperson for Downelink dating? "Don't you know opposites attract?"

"Don't you know she has a sister who's also my best friend? That's a disaster waiting to happen." I shake my head and after a moment, I begin to speak since I know she won't let this rest. "Let's say I like her, right-"

"Which you do." She interrupts. "But, go on."

"And she likes me."

"Which she does."

"Keys!" I yell out in frustration

"Sorry, go on." She pulls up to my house and puts the car in park.

"Say we get together and do what we do, whatever that may be."

"You mean 'date'." Keys has an amused look on her face. "Is that the word you're trying to avoid?"

"Shut up and listen." She looks for me to continue. "Everything's good and then, Ashley finds out."

"Finds out what? That you're with her little sister? Carmen, we're grown women. Who cares?"

"A would care, trust me."

"I can't believe you're afraid of what Ash might say to ya'll. She understands how it is. I bet her sister can pull a bunch of guys and girls if she chooses to."

"You didn't see her at the last party, Keys. She got all Xena: Warrior Sister on me cause I was dancing with Kyla."

"Ohh..so you danced with her, huh?" Ay, Dios.

"It was nothing, just us showcasing our moves."

"Was you feelin it?"

"Feelin what?" I'm confused. What she mean? On her booty? I'm not that crude.

"It! That 'I would like to jump her bones' feeling."

I smirk. "When do I not have that feeling with any girl I dance with?"

"Then what's the issue here? If you wanna pop, then pop. If Ashley is that bad, there's no way Kyla would say something about ya'll."

"What makes you think that?"

"Cause she wants you just as much as you want her, if not more. Stop being a pussy and woman up, go for it." I get out the car as soon as Keys says that, this convo is frustrating me.

"Good night, Marquita. I'll hit you up later."

"Oh, now you wanna throw out governments, huh, Miss Sanchez?" She yells out her car window, I can hear her laughing. "Don't wait too long to jump on that before some other hot-blooded, sexy dyke scoops her up. Like me."

I stick up both my middle fingers at her as she drives off. Yea, she deserves both, not just one. She gets it for bringing up the thoughts of wanting Kyla. For bringing up my fears of what Ashley might say or do if I give into my desires. Damn, why does Kyla have to be..her? Why is that craving getting stronger every time we see each other? This ain't like me.

"This is a test, ain't it?" I say up to the starry night sky in which the 'Divine' lives. I think I see Orion's belt. Cool. "Or punishment, gotta be a punishment, right?" I stand there for about 45 seconds as if some booming voice would come out the clouds and say: "It is, Sanchez. Should've been less of a whore. Let's see you get out of this one. Hahahaha!"

Ok, maybe God wouldn't use those exact words, but he/she would be laughing his/her ass off at me. Does God have an ass that it can laugh off? Oh no, when I start to sound philosophical, it's definitely time for me to get some sleep.

My phone buzzes as I walk in my door. A text from Keys. –If u still interested in learnin the trade, u gotta come by the shop on Wed. ATL4real.-

I chuckle a bit. Hello? Who wouldn't wanna be a tattoo artist? I've thought about it on and off, it's a legit business. Make some extra money on the side, tat up some hot college girl with a 'tramp stamp'. Ahh, 'tramp stamps', how I love seeing them while I'm dancing with a chick and she's bent over. –Without a doubt, mami. Just remind me. C.-

I finally make it to my room and wiggle out my clothes. My bed is looking comfier by the second. I guess all the sex, food and tension has taken its toll on me. I get in and cuddle up with my ladybug pillow pet. Cause it's a pillow. And a pet. It's a pillow pet! Oh, you know seen those commercials. It was so catchy that I just had to have one of my own. It's not Kyla, but it'll have to do.

Wednesday 

So, they call Wednesday 'hump day' for a reason; yet I don't know why. Is it because it screws you in all directions with varying degrees of B.S.? I woke up to Aiden blasting Plies, which is random to say the least. Then, Chelsea telling me that there's no hot water running cause Aiden forgot to pay the bill on time. He's the puñeta of all puñetas now.

Now, I'm watching Ashley flirt with Spencer in a subtle way, she's has a permanent smile every time she sees her. Whipped, what happened to her? Hell, I'm asking myself the same question as I see, ok glare at Glen and Kyla chumming it up a few feet away from them. Am I really the odd woman out?

"Carmen? Carmen!" I hear someone trying to get my attention. It's Spencer, she smirks a bit as she sees where my eyes are glued to. Ashley doesn't though cause she's too busy gazing at Spencer's form.

"Huh?" I ask tearing my gaze from Kyla and Glen.

"Your phone's been ringing." Spencer points out, she tilts her head and shakes it. Gag! I just saw Ashley swoon a bit.

"Thanks, blondie." I wink at her and check my phone. Another text from Kelly. Congratulations, she's now on my stalker list.

"Will you stop calling her that, C?" Ashley whines. "It's annoying."

"Almost annoying as 'baby blue' ?" I retort. Ashley throws me a glare. I see Kyla glance over and she sends me a quick smile then reverts her attention back to Glen. She's been giving me little cutesy/sexy/cocky smiles since the group date; I haven't had moment alone with her since then either. I don't know if she's trying to catch a rise out of me or if she and Glen are actually hitting it off. Either way, it's working. I'm paying attention.

"It's ok. I like 'baby blue', Ash." She rubs Ashley's arm. "But only when you use it." She adds softly. I see Ashley blush a bit and then give me a smug look.

"Ay, can you two be any more gay?" They both chuckle and shrug. At the same time. Ashley better have at least went to first base by now. Otherwise, I'm slapping the bitchassness off her.

As soon as I delete Kelly's message (because I haven't read any of them), my phone rings again.

_"Girls everywhere, Guc. _

_Go and get the camper._

_White girls, too._

_Ooh! Julie, Amy, Amber._

_Can I squeeze your boobs?_

_Let me see your boobs._

_Ain't none of these bitches _

_On my cruising altitude."_

"Thank God!" I praise the interruption. I almost grew another vagina listening to these two. "Yo, Keys, what up?"

"Hey, babe. Meet me at the shop in half-hour." I look at the time and realize it will take me that long to get there.

"Alright, I'm bout to leave school right now. I see you then."

"Oh, I almost forgot. We're going out tonight. Hit up this new spot called Club Iris. One of my customers put me onto it, it's College Night tonight."

"Damn. Bossy much? You ain't even ask if I wanted to go." I see Kyla looking at me again out of the corner of my eye, her face a little unreadable. I know she heard me say Marquita's name when I answered the phone.

"Because I know you want to. In fact, invite everybody. We'll go squad deep in there."

"I don't know.." I reply a little unsure.

"What's this 'I don't know' crap? You're going, tell them I said they're invited and we're gonna do the damn thing. I wear the pants, I make the rules." Keys asserts while chuckling.

"Yea, you may wear the pants. But, I wear the strap-on." I joke back. I look around and I see everybody giving me the 'WTF?' look, except for Kyla. She looks a little disturbed and angry at what I just said. "Keys, I gotta go. I'll see you in a few."

Ashley shakes her head at me. "Why are we best friends?"

"Because you love me and with me around you, more girls flock to you." She pushes me off balance, in which I push back, she gives me a half-smile. See? She does love me.

"Looks like I'm hittin up a new club with Keys tonight. Who's coming with me? My fellow homos and.." I look at Glen and Kyla, but point to Glen. "bisos." I know it's not a real term, but the Queer language is always evolving.

Glen raises his hand like he's in class. "I'll go. It's been awhile since I hit any clubs up, I wanna party." He beams.

"I knew you would be the first one to say you wanna go, twink." I roll my eyes.

"Blow me." He replies.

"Sorry, blondie, I'm not Madison."

"Who told you that?" Glen's eyes bug out and Spencer glares at him like she's about to punch him. "I mean, whatever."

Spencer holds her hands up like she's gonna strangle him. "Oh my God. Glen! You had sex with my roommate?"

"What? Oh, come on. It was oral, that doesn't count."

"It counts." Ashley and I say in unison.

Now, it's Glen's turn to roll his eyes. "Of course it counts for ya'll." He states.

Spencer slaps him in the gut and he yelps. Yes, I said yelp. "You're such a man-whore."

"Oww! That hurt."

"Good."

"Alright, peoples, I gotta get outta here and meet up with Keys." I start walking off. "Text me so I know who's going and we can arrange this carpooling. Gas is a bitch these days." I don't turn back to see them wave me off, but I know she's watching me walk away. I can feel her eyes on me.

I walk inside the tattoo parlour. The smell of sterilization and the sound of the tattoo gun piercing skin hits my senses immediately. I walk pass some muscle-bound guy giving some underage-looking girl a monroe piercing. It looks like it hurts. I don't know if I'll be able to do piercings, I might get woozy from it.

"Hey, is Marquita here?" I ask the piercer.

"Who?" He asks back in a gruffy voice. Then, a moment later. "Oh, you mean Keys. Yea, she's in the back."

"Thanks." Damn, I guess she really does use that more than her government name.

I walk back and see a pretty Middle Eastern girl with a halter top on giving Keys a tattoo on her right shoulder. The tattooist has a medium size star and a crescent on her back; at least it's significant of her faith. Some people just get any old thing.

"Chi Chi Rodriguez, what's good?" She grins as she gives me a dap, I shake my head at her jackass-ness. "Zahra, I like you to meet my homegirl, Carmen. Carmen, Zahra." I shake her free hand.

"Zahra, huh? That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." I beam, she smirks at my flirtation.

"Easy, Chi Chi. She's as straight as they come." Damn. Too good to be true. I bet Keys already tried and she turned her down.

"All done, Keys."

"Thanks, babe." She looks at her tat in the mirror, which is none other than two rainbow Venus symbols interloping. I give her a knowing smile. "What ya think?" She asks me.

"Looks good." It really does; nice artwork. I see a set of letters up above it. "What's 'SBN' stand for?"

"Sapphic By Nature." She gives me a toothy grin. "Ya like it?"

"Fits you perfectly." She gets up and I take a seat in the chair. I look around at the designs as well as the rest of the place. "Nice establishment you got here."

"You could be part of the team here. But, you gotta put in the work." She tears open a packet & I see it's a sterilized needle. Alarm bells are going off in my head. "Did you invite everybody?"

"I told them. I don't know who's gonna show up though. I'm waiting for them to hit me up."

"Doesn't matter as long as Kyla's there, right?" She starts putting colors in different capsules.

"I don't know if she's gonna show up. You're right, I don't think she's that fond of you."

"Hmmph! I know why." She sits down in the other chair. "She'll show up, count on it. Your only issue might be if Ashley is there, but Spencer will keep her occupied."

"You have all this figured out. Did you actually plan this?"

"Maybe." She shrugs and scans my body with my eyes. What is she looking at?

"Should I even ask why if you did?"

"Because Carmen, I never seen you act like this for a girl. You tell me you flirt with her and whatnot, but the Carmen I know would've gotten some already. So, it can only mean one thing: You like her, as in not just to fuck."

I look down as her words sink in. I guess I've been lying to myself that I only feel a sexual attraction to Kyla. If that's the case, I wouldn't feel jealousy when she's hanging with Glen. I wouldn't feel that little knot in my stomach when she's around me. Small as these feelings are, they still exist..and it scary as shit for me.

"If I admit that I like her, will you not ask me what I'm gonna do about it?" I ask Keys curtly.

She smirks. "Nope, not a chance." She eyes me again. "You don't have any ink, do you?"

"You know I don't, Keys. You just saw me nude a few says ago." I reminded her.

"Right. I see you got your nipples pierced though."

"Yea, and it hurt more than I thought." I shudder, remembering the experience. I almost fainted when I saw the needle go through the first one.

"Well, luckily for you. Tattooing doesn't pierce all the layers of the skin and there's little soreness, goes away pretty quickly." She pulls out a razor. "Where do you want it?"

"¿Que?" I know she's not asking me what I think she's asking me "Where do I want what?" I half question/half yell.

"Your first tat." I get up out the chair, but she pushes me back down. This is not the time that I want her to be aggressive. "You serious about tattooing, right?"

"I am, but-"

"But, you don't have any tats yourself. How are you gonna connect with the people you're tattooing if you don't have at least one measly tat? Hell, even Zahra has tats and that's kinda sacrireligious in her faith." I glare at her and she stares back at me like I'm in the wrong for not having a tat. A minute goes by before I say anything.

"Te odio. You know that, right?"

"Yea, yea. Where do you want it?"

"I don't even know what I want. You haven't given me much notice to think about it." I snap back.

She looks at the clock. "Oh, we got time. My clothes are already laid out at the crib."

"Well, I might have to take a shower at your place cause the hot water isn't on at mines."

"You wanna borrow some of my clothes. Maybe butch it up a bit." She grins.

I laugh at her suggestion. I like having a versatile look. "Maybe, I'll borrow one of your fitteds. Why? What you gonna do?"

"I'ma be a stealth dyke tonight. Take my braids out, maybe wear a tight shirt." She touches her hair. "Look like the object you wanna attract." She gives me a thumbs up and I push her hand down laughing.

Zahra walks by and I see her tattoo again and suddenly, it hits me. Something personal and subtle, something that represents where I came from, what I believe.

"Hey Keys, get me a paper and a pencil, will you?" After I hand her back what I drew.

"Seriously? That's all you want?" She questions in a bored tone.

"Yea, that's all I want." She shaves my wrist and starts drawing the design. "Be gentle with me."

"Shut up."

Party Time

We're in Keys' car now. My wrist is itching like hell. She says I gotta wear the saran wrap on it for another half hour. My mom's gonna kill me, she never liked tattoos. My pops has her name on his left bicep. He gave her some dumb line like she'll always be in his heart. What a crock of shit that was! Moms told me that he got it right after she caught him cheating on her the first time. I was around 5 years old, I could hear her crying and him apologizing in Spanglish.

"You should text Kyla and see if she found her way, Carm." Ashley texted me earlier, she had plans with Spencer tonight. I knew they weren't gonna show. I deliberately didn't ask about Kyla, I just texted back that I'll dance with a girl for her."She and Glen might be lost." I look at her with uncertainty, she starts bucking like a chicken.

"You suck."

"And you're stallin'. Better yet, call her."

"Nah, I rather-Hey!" Keys takes the phone out of my hands and scrolls through it. "You taking this matchmaker thing too far, puta." I hear the caller say hello.

"Here." She puts the phone in my hands, but instead of hearing the soft voice of Kyla, I hear the voice of the last person I wanna hear.

"Hello?" Kelly says a little more demanding. "Carmen? Carmen, you there?"

"Damn!" I curse under my breath, I cover the phone up. "Keys, I'm gonna kick your ass, you dialed the wrong 'K'!"

"How was I supposed to know? All I saw was the letter and I know what you have me under as." She tries to hold in her laughter. "You better handle that, kid."

I drag my hand down my face and immediately feel a slight soreness on my left wrist. Now, I'm irritated. I look and she's still on the line, I brace myself. "Kels, my bad, I didn't mean to hit you up."

"Oh, I'm sorry," She replies sweetly before her tone turns sour. "I thought you did mean to hit me up seeing as you haven't returned any of my texts." I say nothing as I hear her voice break. "Why are you being like this?"

"Because, it's over between us, Kels." I sigh, Keys turns up her stereo and is playin Number 1 Sex, the girl version. Is she trying to be funny right now? "Look, you're a nice girl and everything. Great lover, but I can't be yours. You know that..so, please stop contacting me."

"I get that you're a player, Carmen. But, don't you think that you wanna give that a rest and be with someone? Someone that wants you for you?" Her words hit me like a sock full of quarters, Keys starts singing along to the song like there's not a care in the world.

"I do, Kelly." I say honestly, I pause before I say what my father has said to countless women that have fallen in love with him. "You're not the one I want though."

All I hear is silence on the other end.

"Ooh, girl, cause tonight I'm gonna make your toes curl. I know you ain't have this before, girl. But, this is number 1!" Keys croons. She's killin' me here.

"Keys, will you shut the fuck up?" I yell at her.

"This is my car. I have no problem having you walk your ass to the club." She retorts.

"Who is she?" I hear Kelly asks coolly.

"What?" I never heard her voice sound like this before, it's almost scary.

"Who's the bitch, Carm? The one that you want! Is that her with you now?" She shrieks. Oh, shit.

Keys grabs the phone from me. "Listen here, cupcake, you and Carmen had a good run. But, that's it. She's movin on to better things, aite? Have a nice life."

"Fuck you-" CLICK! Keys bangs on her. She tosses my phone to me and says nothing. I'm looking at her with my mouth wide open.

"That was my mistake, C. Don't worry. I got your back tonight. We're gonna have fun, ok? I promise."

I shake my head as we get out the car. If I don't die by Ashley's hands, I know Kelly will do the deed, without a second thought. Maybe, I do need to give it a rest. I see the line, which is long as the new Batman ride at Great Adventures. I know the girls..and some of the guys feet are hurting in their heels. I feel kinda bad when we pass them all by since Keys knows the bouncer.

"How is it that you know so many people?"

"I used to date his sister. It ended on good terms, still keep in touch. Come on, let's go get some drinks."

We move through the swarm of sweaty bodies, the place is packed. On the dance floor, at the bar, on the balcony, everywhere. The gays and lezzies are both out tonight. Mixed crowd, too. All the colors of the rainbow are in here. Handclapping ensues as the song changes up, there's even a group of guys voguing under the strobelight.

_"Every time I walk in the club_

_They hatin on me cause they know I look good._

_My hair done right and my dress real tight_

_All eyes on me, I took the night."_

"2 shots of Henny." Keys tells the bartender, she fluffs up her hair a bit, I helped her take the braids out. This is her trying to act femme and it's hilarious because she can never pull it off fully. Her charm must be working though it must be working cause the bartender is giving her some play.

"This has got to be the queerest club I have been in in a long time." I tell Keys. She nods and hands me the shot, we toast to whatever it is our mind is on right now. I'll give you one guess what's on my mind. "I should call Ashley and see who's coming."

"Don't bother. I just texted Glen, Kyla just picked him up." A caramel-skinned girl walks by me and lets her hand slide down my torso. I flash her a smile as she struts off, doin a Naomi Campbell walk. "Until they show up, let's have some fun."

Half-hour later, I'm sweating, I'm buzzed, and I'm feeling a bit aroused as I'm sandwiched in between two girls. I see Keys dancing with some Asian girl over on the side. We give each other a head nod and raise our cups up. Though I'm enjoying myself, I'm wondering where Kyla and Glen is. They should've been here by now.

I squeeze my way out from my my dance partners. "I'm beat. Thanks for the dance, ladies." Aww, they look disappointed. I'll tell Keys to dance with them later.

I walk over to the bar and ask for a bottle of water. I'm bout to pay her when she waves me off.

"It's already been paid for, sweetie."

I give her a confused look. I mean, it's not the first time that's happened "By who?"

"The brunette with the pink top, she's standing next to the blonde guy." I look in her direction and I see Kyla looking back with a sexy smirk on her face. Glen is busy talking to some guy. "She's gotta nice set of tits." I couldn't agree with her more, especially with that shirt on.

I walk over to where they're standing. My stomach buzzing a bit knowing that she's here.. or it could be the 99 Bananas mix I had. "Well, well, Ms. Woods, I didn't think you were coming."

"Glen didn't wanna come alone. Are you that surprised?" She steps closer to me and I see she's wearing a jean skirt. Oh man, the wolves are gonna be on the hunt tonight.

"Right. Glen." I look over her shoulder and see Glen dancing with the guy to some techno-rock version of 'I Kissed A Girl'. "He seems to be doing fine by himself."

"You're not gonna thank me for the drink?"

"Sure." The drinks in my system are stabilizing my confidence, but not my better judgment. "How bout I quench your thirst later?" I reply whispering in her ear, there's that chocolate raspberry scent again. "You smell good enough to eat, hadita, you know that?"

She giggles and pushes me back some. "Why is it that you're so cocky with it when you're all alone with me, but when Ashley is around, all that swag is to a minimum?"

I quirk an eyebrow. "Maybe cause I don't wanna die young." Kyla rolls her eyes. "If you haven't noticed, your sister can be a little over-protective of you."

"I thought you liked excitement." She smirks

"I do, but not danger."

"You're not in danger, Carmen." She connects her eyes with mine and touches my face lightly. "I can protect you, if you let me."

Her skin feels so soft on mines, I almost give into her warmth, but I resist it. "I don't need protection, Kyla. I know my boundaries."

She sighs and lets her hand fall from my face. I see the displeasure written all over hers. "So, you don't want anything to do with me, is that it? Just stay loyal, don't break any les-bro codes, right? If I was anybody else's sister, you would've been had me."

I look away from her cause she's right. It has been that way, but that's not the main reason anymore why I'm not trying to take it there. "You're not getting it, Ky. It's not just Ashley."

She has a puzzled look on her face. "Then, what else is it?" I say nothing to her as I drink the last of my water, I don't feel like having this discussion with her. I look over and see Glen coming towards us, his t-shirt is soaked.

"Oh, my god, you guys, this place seriously kicks ass! There's so many hotties in here!" He exclaims while watching a shirtless guy walk past us.

"Yea, there is." Kyla says to Glen while staring at me. "So many to choose from." Oh, I see what she's trying to do. Jealousy don't work on me..at least not in the past.

I smirk. "Go have some fun then." She stares at me for a couple more seconds before walking away. Is it sad that I'm kinda regretting what I just told her to do?

Glen stands next to me and watches her walk off, I hear him whistle. "Man, you don't know what you're missin, Carmen." He goes to the bar and orders a drink. "And you think I'm stupid."

"Glen, I still think you're stupid." He flashes a toothy grin at the bartender, she flags him off. "And obviously blind."

He turns back to me then. "I guess that makes two of us." He points to where Kyla is, she's now dancing with Keys. Keys though? I thought she didn't like her. "Kyla is putting herself out there for you and you're ignoring it."

"With good reason." Why's everybody pushing this me and Kyla thing? Are they trying to see me dead? I see Keys give Kyla some of her drink as she pulls Kyla closer to her. She better watch her hands

"Yea, yea, Ashley will beat you to a pulp. Blah, blah, blah!" Glen replies dismissing my answer. "If you haven't noticed, Ashley is too busy trying to get into my sister's heart and body to worry about you and Kyla."

"Pssh! That's what you think." The song changes to 'Sexy Body' and I see Keys pull Kyla to a wall close by. Kyla is grinding on Keys and she's loving every second of it. Keys sees me watching and produces a shit eating-grin while she and Kyla dip to the beat. That smut is getting a wally from Kyla. I can't believe this.

"No, that's what I know. This would be the perfect opportunity." Glen sees me staring them down, the anger on my face gives my feelings away. "Come on, tell me, you don't wanna have her to yourself. Cause if you say no, you're full of shit."

"I thought you wanted her, twink." I say harshly, I pull my fitted hat down more to hide the fact that I am getting envious. I didn't forget how he and Kyla have been getting closer in the past week.

He gives me a knowing smirk. "I guess I'm not girly enough for her. Besides," he glances behind me. "I got options." I turn and it's the same shirtless guy eyeing Glen, he licks his lips at him. I think I'm gonna throw up. "Apparently, so does Kyla." He walks off with the guy and I'm left alone at the bar.

An hour and a half later, I haven't changed my position much. I've had girls ask me to dance, but I keep turning them down. I'm not really in the mood for dancing, just watching and listening. The dj keeps switching the genres up. I've heard 'Pegalo', 'Chop Me Up', and 'Jai Ho'. JAI HO! Sorry, I had to say it just once. A bunch of other tunes have been played that were trance-like.

I'm put in a trance myself though because I just can't seem to take my eyes off of Kyla dancing. She danced a little longer with Keys, before moving on to some gay guy with purple bike shorts, which was not attractive. I see her dancing with Glen, he's backing it up on her and they are naturally having a good time. I feel a ping of sadness that she hasn't asked me to dance. Actually, she hasn't said much to me all night. Just 2 second looks of daring and opposing, that's all we've been giving each other every time she comes to the bar. I counted, she's had about 3 drinks, always a Jack and Coke, never took her for that type of woman.

"You gonna stare at the girl all night or what, Sanchez?" I hear a familiar voice ask. I recognize that conceited tone anywhere.

"Jonica." I reply flatly. "Not surprised to see you here." I hear her laugh.

"Likewise." She steps in front of me, looking like Justin Bieber's stunt double. Except she's a redhead now. "Where's your other half?"

"Not here tonight. It's not like you care." I retort.

"I do care." Jonica says a little defensively. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be asking."

I roll my eyes at her and move away from her. "You're only asking to see if you can get something out of her."

She smiles arrogantly. "I already got something out of her, Carmen. You know that." I shake my head and continue to gaze at Kyla. "You were always so protective of her, put her under your wing after she and I split." She and her split? Yea, right!

"I had no choice, she's my best friend. I'll always look out for her."

"I always thought you were in love with her, to be honest." She takes a gulp of her drink. "But, I realized you can't love anybody."

"You should talk." I snap back.

"Ooh, touchy tonight, are we?" She puts her arm around me and I shrug her off. "Listen, I understand that you don't like me, but you gotta be honest with yourself. You do wanna fuck me." She grins devilishly as I give her a disgusted face. Damn, what did Ashley see in her?

"You're worse than a dude. What girl would fall for your lame shit?"

"I bet she would." Jonica replies pointing to Kyla. "I wonder what's so special about this one that's got you eyeing her like a hawk."

I turn and see Kyla, Keys, and Glen coming up towards us. Great, now I'm never gonna get rid of her. I see Jonica and Keys size each other up & then she gives Kyla an extremely long once-over. Well, it was long to me.

Glen speaks first. "Hey, I'm Glen." He holds out his hand, but she doesn't take it. "Ook." He says under his breath. "I'm gonna get another drink."

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your crew, Sanchez?"

"No." I answer sourly. She chuckles a bit.

"Hi, I'm Jonica." She gives Keys a hard hand-shake which rewards her a 'don't test me' look, I laugh a little at Keys obvious distaste.

"Keys. You got a weird name, ma." Kyla suppresses a giggle from coming out.

"I like to think of it as unique." Jonica replies. She holds her hand out to Kyla. "And who are you?" She asks flirtatiously. Cue me and Keys' eye rolls.

"Kyla." She smiles back. She glances at me to see if I'm looking at the exaggerated hand-shake, which I am. "Nice to meet you."

"Wow!" Jonica says in fake amazement. "Carmen, I see why you were staring the whole night, she's absolutely beautiful."

Now everybody turns to look at me. "Uhh…I wasn't staring." That was a great defense on my part. Keys shakes her head at my denial while Kyla turns red.

"Nonsense, Carm. It's ok. I would to." She furrows her eyebrows a bit and then her eyes lit up. "You know, Kyla, I gotta tell you. You favor this girl I used to know."

"Really?" Kyla asks quizzically. "Who might that be?"

"Ashley." Me and Keys say in deadpan unison.

Kyla starts laughing. "Jeez, is the L.A. lesbian scene so small that everybody knows everybody?"

"More like everybody has had sex with everybody." Jonica answers half-truthfully. "Why? Do you know Ashley, too?" And here comes the revelation.

"I should. She's my sister."

"Your sister, huh?" Jonica looks back at me with a mischievous smirk. "Well, no wonder, you look so good. Tell your sister I said I would like to catch up with her, like old times."

"Will do." I see Kyla question me with her eyes what Jonica means by that. I look away to not give her an answer. "I like your hair." Kyla complements, she runs her hand through Jonica's hair and Jonica beams. What? Are you shittin me right now?

"Thanks, Kyla." She is eye-fucking certain parts of her body, more like eye-raping if you ask me. "I like..everything about you right now." I know Kyla can see through her game. Anybody, besides Glen, can see through Jonica's game. So, why is she going along with it?

Keys walks towards me and rests her arm on my shoulder while Kyla and Jonica are busy conversing. "Looks like Peter Pan is trying to capture your fairy, Chi Chi."

"Yea, thanks for the update, Keys." I whisper in a sardonic tone.

"I'm just telling you since you seem not to be doing nothin about it." She mocks, I shrug.

"Well, what am I suppose to do? I'm not her girlfriend."

"But, you wanna be. Look at her, Peter Pan's twatplotting on her. Don't let her twatplot on your shorty." She urges. What's the hell is twatplotting? I need a dyke dictionary.

"Marquita, shut up. Damn!" I say harshly. The song changes to some Pussycat Dolls tune as I see Jonica whisper in Kyla's ear. Kyla smiles and drags her to the dance floor. I look on in disbelief.

I turn around so I don't see them dancing together, I'm starting to get sick in the stomach and feeling bewildered cause Keys is telling me what I already know and Kyla is taking me on an emotional whirlwind by dancing and showing Jonica attention. Keys puts her arm around me. "I'm sorry, boo. You know I got love for you. It's just the whole night you've been moping around and you've been turning down girls left and right."

"Tonight's not my night, Keys." I shake my head; she turns me around so I'm facing the dancefloor.

"It hasn't been your night cause you haven't been acting on your instincts. Now, what's your instincts telling you?"

I look at Kyla and Jonica dancing. Jonica is holding onto her waist when I see her hands start sliding down and grip Kyla's thighs. She lets her head nest in the crook of Kyla's neck. Jonica's eyes lock with mine and she sends me a cocky sneer. "My instincts telling me to kick Jonica's boy band-lookin ass and to have Kyla for myself." I answer with assertion.

"There you go, Carm, that's what I'm talking about." I start marching towards them, but Keys stops me. "Whoa, whoa! What the hell are you doin?" She looks at me like I lost my mind.

"Handling business." I move past her. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"Carmen, don't get us kicked out. I'm trying to get laid by the cute-ass bartender." Keys calls out.

I don't answer her back. She's gonna get laid regardless. I'm not really gonna kick her ass cause I would like to come back here again, but I will stop anything else from happening.

It's like everything is moving in slow motion now. My heart pumping harder the more I get closer to them, to her. People dancing around me like their getting a nut off, even more so when I notice how much Jonica is pressing into Kyla. I tap Jonica on the shoulder and she rolls her eyes at me.

I tap her again, more forcefully and she averts her eyes towards me in frustration. "What?"

"Mind if I cut in?" I smile at her and then Kyla, who looks between the two of us. She has an amused face.

Jonica snorts. "Can't you see we're dancing here, Sanchez?"

"If that's what you call it. It looks like you can't wait to take her home with you. That is what you want to accomplish, right?" That's right. I decided to go the smart-ass route.

"Well, that's up to Kyla." She smirks and grabs her by the waist. "And right now, you're interrupting. Isn't she, Kyla?" I look at Kyla for confirmation and she doesn't say anything, just looks down. I'm starting to feel exposed and vulnerable is not a great look on me.

"Nevermind." I say defeated. "Ya'll enjoy yourselves.." I turn to walk away before Kyla grabs my arm.

"Wait a minute, Carmen." She looks between my expecting face and Jonica's annoyed one. "I think it's time to switch partners now. Thanks for the dance."

Jonica has a disbelieving look which quickly dissolves when she sees me grinning. "No worries, Kyla." She steps in front of me, blocking my path. "What about my offer for later on, beautiful?"

"Thanks, but, uhh…" Kyla say looking past her to see me, she smiles slightly. "I have to decline."

I deliberately push past her. "Well, you heard her, Bieber fever. She won't be accepting 'your offer'." I didn't do airquotes, just in my head. Jonica looks at me and gives me a 'hmmph' sound.

"Ok, I'll leave you to it, then. I'll see you around, Kyla." Like hell, she won't. She turns back to me. "Give Ashley my love." Ha! What love is she talking about? She saunters off.

I turn to Kyla with a wide-ass grin, she gives me an amused look. "What?" I ask

"Can you please not gloat, Carmen?" I laugh and she slaps me on my left wrist. ¡Coño!

"Oww!"

"Shit! I'm sorry, Carm." She says with concern, she looks at my freshly done ink. "When did you get a tat?"

"Earlier tonight, Keys gave it to me. Sort of like an initiation to becoming a tattoo artist."

"I like it." She examines my wrist "Ok, I get the Cuban flag, but what's with the beads below it, iare those the original gay pride colors?" Aww, how cute. She doesn't know.

"No, they're Orisha beads." She looks at me curiously. "It's a spiritual thing, my family practices Santeria. It represents the 7 African powers." She seems impressed that I got something with meaning.

"Hmm, you'll have to tell me more about that later…Are the powers with you right now?" She looks me in the eyes and runs her fingers lightly over it; her hands are a bit cool to the touch, which is soothing.

"I'm pretty sure they are." My eyes flutter from the stimulation. "That feels good."

She arches an eyebrow "You're getting horny by me touching your arm? You're easier to please than I thought."

"Well, I think you owe me some pleasure since you caused me so much pain tonight." I say jokingly. She pulls me into her and she starts swaying us to the music, the colors of the light switching with the beat. "This is a start."

"You could've stopped your pain at any time, you know? All you had to do was asked me to dance with you." She says matter-of-factly. "Unless you liked watching me dance with a bunch of people.."

I shake my head and I give her a small grin. "I like watching you dance, but not with other people though. Especially, Jonica."

She giggles a bit. "I didn't think you would, but it made you stop being an ass and come over here." She pauses a bit. "So, who is Jonica to Ashley?"

"I knew that was gonna come up." I look down, but she grabs me by my hat and puts it on herself. She looks adorable with it, might can do a little role play and-not the time, Carmen. "She's an ex of your sister's."

"When you say 'ex', do you mean…?" She's trying to fish it out of me. Damn those russet brown eyes.

"She was Ashley's first, alright?" I blurt out. We stop dancing as she waits for me to continue. "She and Ashley were dating the summer you left to go back home. Jonica was a smooth talker and within a month, Ashley lost her virginity to her."

"Wow…what happened to them?

"Ashley fell for her and Jonica broke her heart because it was just a game. That's all it is, Kyla. Love. It's just a game."

"So, after that happened…that's when she started wildin out with you?"

"Yea.." I answer shamefully. "But, I think that's about to change with Spencer. I haven't seen her like this since Jonica." I shake my head. "Let's switch the subject, alright?"

"Ok..who was your first love?"

I chuckle at her question. "I thought I just told you it's a game."

"Does that mean you're always the winner?" Another song pops on, one that I actually like. "It's ok to lose every once in awhile, gain the experience."

"I see what losing does to people and they don't know how to play the game correctly." I'm not gonna go through the same pain that my mom and Ashley went through.

"Are you gonna teach how to play it correctly?" She tugs on my cargos and pulls me in closer to her. "Or you're gonna let me play that hand with someone else?"

I put my hands on the curve of her back and start to grind to the beat. She puts the cap back on my head backwards and moves her arms to my neck. She's gazing at me with want, hope, confidence; yet, at the same time, I see something else. Doubt. She sees it, too. I don't want to hurt her, I don't think I will. If anything, she may hurt me.

"Carmen?" She asks, taking me out of my thoughts. "Are you ok?"

"Yea. Yea, I'm fine." She turns around and gives me her backside to dance on, which I gladly tug closer to me. I'm still a bit buzzed off the drinks and the way Kyla is gyrating her hips and the way her ass is pressed up on my pubic bone is teasing me something stupid. "I'm better than fine."

She turns her face a little to see mines and throws me a sexy smirk. "I can see your eyes are getting smoky."

"Look who's talking, hadita." I throw back. She laughs cause she knows she's feeling it as much as I am. Her eyes are glossed over. I'm not the only one.

"You never answered me, Carmen." She runs her hands up my neck and into my hair, scratching my scalp slowly. There's nothing like a pretty girl giving you a double head massage..yea, you know what I'm talking about. "Are we still playing this game?"

"No." I whisper in her ear, she shivers as I nuzzle her neck. "Game over."

She twirls back around to face me, seeing if I was joking. She searches my eyes for any regret, but she won't find any. "What makes this a 'game over'?"

I take a deep breath cause I don't think I ever been more real with a female. I press my forehead against hers. "Because I don't want anyone else to have you, Kyla. I want you for myself."

_"It's more than just a mission (Hey, hey, hey)_

_You hear, but you don't listen (Hey, hey, hey)_

_You better pay attention (Hey, hey, hey)_

_And get what you been missin._

_I better find your love and_

_I better find your heart."_

She looks down, but I pick her chin up and have her look me in the eyes. "Can I have you?" I ask softly, pleading. She must've thought I was being seductive cause she bites her bottom lip, which in turn makes me bite mines.

"Do I get to have you, too? For myself?" She questions me with anticipation. I don't answer her with words first. I touch her face lightly; I look into those brown orbs of hers, which are now a shade darker. My eyes travel from there to her lips and back up again.

Kyla makes the move before I do. It seems like time stopped when our lips connect. Her lips are so supple that I just melt right into them. It's slow at first, but my sex drive gets the better of me as I let my tongue slide on her lower lip. I'm quickly granted access into her mouth and I hear a gasp come from her. My assumptions were right, she does taste as good as she smells. Kyla has one hand cupping my face while the other is fiddling through my hair. She deepens the kiss even more which causes me to groan at the friction. I want her in the worst way right now, but I know it's too soon for that. I need to slow down cause I'm gonna take my time with Kyla Woods.

"The answer..." I say catching my breath. I see her face is flushed and her eyes are almost black from the yearning. "The answer is yes, Kyla. To both." I smile contentedly.

She beams back and kisses me with force as if to say I own you, then puts her head on my shoulder and gives me a soft kiss on my neck. "I was hoping you would say that."

I hold her tighter as we lose ourselves to the rest of the music, but not before I lock eyes on a figure staring at me from the balcony above us: Kelly.

Keys was right. I seem to have an issue with girls that have 'K' names. Hopefully, I'll be calling her hadita more often to break that cycle. She's mine now, I captured her.

_"I bet if I give all my love_

_And nothing's gonna tear us apart."_

* * *

**Damn, this was a long chapter. A lot happening in this one. Sorry, I was tardy. It's just I have a lot to write besides this story. I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are appreciated as always. Next up: Spashley's 2nd date…unless you want something different, let me know. :) Buh-bye!**

**Side-notes: Speaking of Justin Bieber, does anyone else think that he resembles a teen version of Dani from Tila Tequila's A Shot At Love (Season 1)? Or is it just me? Hahaha! Wasn't True Blood effin awesome? Had a little Sapphic humor in there as well. I can't wait for next week. I 3 werewolves. Lastly, did anybody see the series premiere of Pretty Little Liars on ABC family? That Emily character is smokin'. ;)**

**TheMixMedia: New reviewer? Yay! ****Ur**** actually the first to answer my question on which POV. So thank you and thanks 4 the review. =)**

**Degrassi1son: Lmao! I feel u, though I think I would've done what Ashley did in that predicament, which is endure it; as long as I'm with the girl I desire. Ashley didn't notice cause her nerves were already on end and yes, Spencer is mostly the reason. **

**Doesitmeanjustice: Another new reviewer? Hoo-rah! Thanks for enjoying the chapter and for the review. =)**

**Nilegirl: Hmm, do you find it weird because you thought it would be the other way around? Ashley is starting to feel like playing the field is getting old while Carmen is resisting, they each have their reasons which will come up as the story progresses. Thanks for liking my 'Keys' character, too. =)**

**Tellmeyoullstay: Yea, it was adroable and probably pre-meditative on Carmen's part. *strokes chin* Anyways, I don't think you would be the only one reading that would kick Glen's ass if he didn't back off of Kyla. Lol! Thanks 4 the review. =) **

**iLoah-I know you didn't leave a review this time, but I should've mentioned that the song Que Te Pica has Jamaican patois mixed with Spanish. The Jamaican patois is not a problem for, but the quickness of the Spanish is. lol! Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter. =)**

**Songs used: Girls Kissing Girls by Gucci Mane feat. Nicki Minaj; Took The Night by Chelley; Number 1 Sex by R. Kelly feat. Ester Dean (demo version); Find Your Love by Drake**

**Songs mentioned: Sex Room by Trey Songz feat. Ludacris; I Kissed A Girl (song cover) by Attack Attack!; Sexy Body by Sasha; Chop Me Up by Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland & Three 6 Mafia; Pegalo by Daddy Yankee; Jai Ho by AR Rahman; Don't Cha by The Pussycat Dolls**


	15. Just The Two Of Us

**Author's Update on 7/19/10: So, being a newbie to this means you make many mistakes and I made the mistake of replacing chapter 15 with a duplicate of chapter 16. Smh. I know, it sucks. What sucks more is that I don't have a copy of my 15th chapter, so this is all from memory. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own diddly-squat of anything that pertains to SON or the song used. **

* * *

Ashley's POV

I remember not too long ago when Carmen and I, even Keys included, would jump at the chance of going to some hot new queer club and see who can get the most females in one night. Those were good times, some of the best times. Right now, in my life, I can give two shits about it. I wanna create some new times with a certain blonde from the midwest.

I do a once-over of the house as I read the text from Carmen. –R u serious? Ur not comin? :( Smh. A, u betta be gettin sum action 2nite. C.- She must think this is a joke to me, but I want a change of pace now. I go downstairs to check on the baked salmon. Yes, I am cooking tonight. I got everything I need for a night in. Home-cooked meal? Check.

Semi-cheesy romance movie? Check. Cozy couch that is also a possible make-out area? Check, check, and CHECK! Now, all I need to do is get rid of..

"Kyla, why are you still here?" I ask impatiently. I look at the clock, Spencer should be here soon. Why is Kyla stalling?

"It's a Buffy marathon on LOGO. Do you see how hot Spike is? Especially since he has a soul in this season." She turns the tv up more when Spike is talking. "Damn, I love his accent." She adds, I roll my eyes.

"You know he's not from England, right? He's from here." She shrugs and walks over to the kitchen.

"Doesn't matter. I just have a thing for accents, fake or not. And languages, too." She winks, I look her up and down. "What?"

"Are you wearing a skirt?" I asked in an disbelieving tone.

She steps back and does a twirl. "Yea, too much.?"

"Kyla, it's a gay club. Who exactly are you trying to pull with that on?"

"You never know. There might be some like 'Glens' floating around."

"What? Stupid?"

"No..cute, funny, & likes girls from time to time."

"Whatever. Just watch the girls' hands in there. You could have finger babies in nine months." I shake my head and stir the spinach around. "Carmen & Keys are gonna have a field day with what you're wearing."

"That's the point." Kyla mumbles under her breath.

"I heard that. Stop playing around." I state seriously.

She smirks. "Who's playing around? I'm trying to have my first menage-a-trois tonight."

I throw my hands up. "That's it. Get outta here. Now! Before I lock you in here for the night."

"You wouldn't do that, Ashley. I would cockblock you all night." She looks inside the pots. "On second thought, maybe I should stay in cause you cooking must mean you're trying to get some."

"You have my car for tonight. Just go." I start to push her out the door. "And make sure to take some pepper spray in the club with you."

"There's that protectiveness again."

"You want protective? Take some condoms."

"How bout dental dam?"

"Kyla!" I exclaim in annoyance.

"Alright, alright." We look over and see a taxi pulling up. I smooth my hair and outfit down, which isn't much since it's in a pontytail and I'm dressed down. "You look fine, Ash."

"Thanks." I give her a short hug. "Stay out as long as you want."

"I got it." We watch Spencer and Glen get out the car both wearing the same thing. Aww, how cute and strange. Do they really think so much alike? "Hey, twins, welcome to the Davies mansion."

"Sweeeeet." Glen nods his head in approval. "I bet you've had some killer beach parties, huh?"

"Not in awhile, but we might throw one later on in the semester." I answer, I give him a dap and jog over to where Spencer is, she smiles those pearly whites when she sees me. "Hi."

"Hey." She replies softly. We stand there for a moment, obviously a bit timid to see each other again, knowing that we'll be alone for the whole evening.

The driver honks the horn and I wanna curse him out for interrupting our silent time, but I'm trying to be civil here. "It's ok, I have the fare." I toss him a couple twenty's and send him on his way.

"Thanks." She gives me a warm hug. "Nice to see you again."

I hold her there longer than I should. Mmm, she smells like French vanilla. Is it bad that I'm smelling her right now? I'm kinda thirsty for a dunkin donuts coffee… or maybe it's just her I'm thirsty for. "You saw me earlier today though." I point out humorously.

"Yeah, well, it's still nice to see you. Glen has been driving me up the wall about what to wear tonight." I look at him and see that he's wearing flip flops. What's with this man and flip flops? I look back at Spencer and she seems to know what I'm thinking. "I told him to wear sneakers, at least. He just won't listen."

"Yea, I know the feeling." I look at Kyla as she gets in my car, her skirt is barely covering her ass. Who is she trying to impress? I take Spencer's hand and lead the way. "Come on, let's go inside."

I wave off Kyla; yet, Glen is still standing outside of the car. He gives me a pensive look and Spencer looks between me and him a little worried. "I think he wants to talk to you."

"Do you know what about?" I ask a little nervously.

She shrugs her shoulders. "Me, probably. I'll be inside."

"Right, of course." I walk over to the car and Glen folds his arms in waiting. He stares me down like he's examining me. I feel like a specimen now. "What's up?"

He tilts his head the way Spencer does. Trust me, it doesn't look adorable, it looks..judgmental. "Lemme ask you something, Ashley. You like my sister, right?"

"Uhh…yea." Where's he going with this?

"I assume you want to be with her..right?"

"Yea..what's your point, Glen?" I fold my arms in a defensive stance.

"The point is Ashley, my sister is feeling you a lot. I can tell. She hasn't liked anyone like this for a long time." I nod my head. "So, if you're not in it for the long haul, then-"

"Glen." I stop him before he says anything else. "I know you might've heard stories from Kyla about how I am with girls and to be honest, they're all true." I look at the door where Spencer is waiting for me. "When it comes to your sister, it's…different. I can't explain it. This is a bit new to me. But I can promise you that I'll be on my best behavior with her tonight."

He stares me down and then smiles. "Good. I just want the best for her and right now, you seem to be it. If she likes it, I love it. So, you have my blessing." Wait, that's it? Is his mood changing thing part of military training?

"Hold up, that's all you have to say?" He laughs and gets in the car.

"Yea, I'm just checking, that's all. It's my duty as a brother." I shake my head and walk back. "Oh and Ashley?"

"Yea.?"

"I'll allow you one make-out session and a boob touch for tonight. If I hear anything more than that happened, I'ma come back and kick your pretty little ass."

I laugh and give him the OK sign. "Have fun." Finally, they're gone. I close the door behind me and see Spencer looking around at the pictures.

"I thought they would never leave." She admits. I don't know if she meant that in jest or if she is in fact glad that they left. I see her pick up a picture of me, Kyla, and Dad when I was around 11 or so. Our faces are painted like the members of Kiss, it was our first of many concerts. "You guys look so adorable." She comments.

"Thanks." I reply from right behind her. She looks a little startled that I'm so close but soon covers it up. "It was my birthday. Dad took us to see them and we even went backstage. That's one of the best birthday presents I ever got." She sets it back down "Made up for lost time."

"I guess him bring a rock star meant he wasn't around alot, huh?"

"Nah. But, he would always make sure he was there for my birthday, though. Including Kyla. He would fly over to Baltimore to see her and spend time with her."

"When did you know that you had a sister?"

"I was 10 when I found out. My dad kept it a secret for awhile because he wasn't sure how we would react to it."

"And how did you react, if you don't mind me asking.."

I shrug my shoulders. "I was surprised, but my ten year old brain was like, 'I have a sister!'. You don't how boring it can be being the only child. It has it perks, but still."

"What about your mom?" I walk to the kitchen to check on the food.

"Christine is another story."

"Christine?" Spencer furrows her eyebrows. Her lips pout out a bit when she does that. So cute

"Yea..until she acts like a mother, I'll call her by her first name."

"I'm guessing the mother-daughter relationship sucks."

"That's an understatement, Spence." I take the salmon out and give myself a mental pat on the back for doin such a bang-up job. "She felt that my dad shouldn't have done anything for the 'whore's child' and she wanted me to take her side on it. That's what began the rift between us."

"That's just stupid." Spencer replies, she shakes her head and it looks like slow motion to me. God, I love blondes. "How does she feel about you being a lesbian?"

"Well," I start loading Spencer's plate up, then mines. "She thought it was a phase, like some joke…until she caught me doing some intimate things with a girl. That caused an uproar." I start chuckling a bit at the memory. "She wanted to send me to some boarding school and my dad wasn't having that."

"Well, think of it this way; if you went to boarding school, that would've been a win for you."

I shoot her a baffled look. "How so?"

"Because you would be locked up with a bunch of girls that were sex-depraved." She gives me a mischievous grin.

My mouth drops a bit. "Why, Spencer, you have quite the naughty mind."

She turns red and laughs nervously. "Yea, you know me, naughty Spencer." There was a pause and a clear of a throat as I wondered how naughty she could be. "So, what's on the menu for tonight?"

Me. Of course, I don't say that. An image of Kyla scolding me popped into my head. "We're having salmon, mac & cheese, & spinach."

She tilts her head. "You remembered that I like spinach?"

"I remember everyhing you tell me." I wink. "Come on, let's go eat." I carry the plates and set them down before I burn my fuckin fingerprints off trying to be a good server.

She pulls out a chair for me, which I take. Usually, it's the other way around, but I don't mind sharing the chivalry. "You're not used to that, are you?" She asks me after seeing my reaction.

"Used to what?" I reply nonchalantly.

"A girl being a gentle..woman to you." She takes a bite and I see her nodding her head. Ooh, I think she likes it. Yes, I said it in my Jermaine Dupri voice.

"No, not really." I say after I swallow my food. I try not to talk with my moutful when I'm sitting with a beautiful girl. "But, I could get used to it." I add.

"Mmm.." She points to the food. "This is really good, Ash. Do you usually cook?" Usually as in once every four years.

I smile at her dining experience. "I'm a jack of all trades, baby blue. Maybe you should kiss the cook to show your gratitude."

She smiles back. "Maybe." Maybe? Ok, I can work with maybe.

We are eating in silence. I don't really do many dates and if I do, it doesn't get to the point where we are actually having a discussion that's not focused on 'Your place or mine?' talk. "So, umm, how have you been sleeping lately?" I ask after a few minutes.

She gives me a quick look and starts picking with her spinach. "Why do you wanna know?" She questions me.

I'm a bit taken aback. I'm not sure what possessed me to ask that question, maybe I heard Glen say something about it from last time. "I don't know..just curious, that's all."

"Did Glen say anything to you about my dreams?" She asks timidly.

"No..why would he?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Forget it."

"Come on, you can tell me." I urge. "Anything bad?"

She gives a low chuckle. "Not quite." She glances at me and I'm just giving her an inquisitive stare. We eat some more, almost done our plates. I guess we were both hungry. "So, umm, how long you and Carmen been friends?" She asks changing the subject.

I smirk because whatever the dreams are about, it must be significant, possibly embarrassing. She just doesn't want me in on it and I wanna know. I'll let her have this round. "We've been friends since we were thirteen. Her parents got divorced; she and her mom moved here while her brothers stayed with her dad."

"You guys are really close." She affirms.

"Yea.." I get up and grab our plates, she follows me into the kitchen. "She's like a sister to me. She loves my dad as much as I do and she gets along with Kyla well. I would do anything for her. We've done pretty much everything together."

"Everything, huh?" She says with a humorous tone. I look at her and she's leaning up against the counter. It would be just so easy to pick her up and have my way with her right here, right now. But as soon as I think that, the image of Kyla smacking me with her yoga mat comes in to my mind. Is she suppose to represent my conscience now?

"What are you implying, baby blue?" I ask her. I know what she's getting at. People wonder about that all the time with me and C.

"Nothing. I was just wondering if you and her were always the best of friends, that's all." Spencer replies.

"Are you askin me if she and I ever hooked up?" She giggles a bit and nods her head. I pour us both some juice and we make our way to the couch. "I plead the fifth on that one."

"Aw, come on. I wanna know." She gives me her infamous head-tilt.

"You know those head-tilts of yours are only gonna work on me for so long." I start to set up the DVD and pop in Imagine Me & You. Like, I'll make us watch some hetero-romance flick. Please! "Sooner or later, you're gonna have to pout or something else."

"Well, I guess I'll just use it to my advantage then." I shake my head and sit next to her.

The movie comes on. "How bout I make you a deal?"

"Now we're talking." I rub my hands for effect. "What are we talking here?"

"I'll tell you about my dreams."

"In detail?" I bargain.

"You're pushing it." She wags her finger at me.

"Alright, alright…tell me first, then I'll answer your question."

She makes a face and crosses her arms. "Fine." She says in defeat. Maybe, she thought she could get out of telling me if I went first. Fat chance!

"Wait." I stop her and take one of the pillows to lean on with my elbows. "Sorry, I had to get comfortable." I grin, she rolls her eyes. "I'm all ready."

"It's not a campfire story, Ashley. It's the same scenario and same people in my dreams, it just takes place in different locations."

"Really? Which locations?"

"Like the shower, the library, my dormroom." Hmm, all places I've had sex in.

"And who are the stars of your dream?" I have an inkling it was us, but I want her to confirm it.

She doesn't say anything at first, she just fiddles with her hair a bit and blushes. "It was you and me, ok?" She says in a low voice. I'm starting to like these dreams.

"And what activity in your dream did we partake in?"

"Stuff." She states plainly, not looking in my direction.

"Such as..."

She sighs. "Physical stuff."

"Now when you say 'physical', do you mean-"

"Ashley!" I like how she calls out my name like that. "Come on, you know what I mean." She says getting slightly irritated. I have to say she looks good this way.

"You're right, I do." I place my hand on her cheek so she can face me. "It's ok if you have those type of dreams, it's only natural." I reply humorously.

"I know. I had that talk with my dad a long time ago." She says rolling her eyes. She looks down again when she realizes my hand hasn't left her face. "It doesn't make it less embarrassing though."

"Well, I'm not embarrassed and you shouldn't be either." I reply dropping my hand down. I don't wanna make her feel awkward. I just wanted to touch her. That sounded a bit creepy. "Besides, Spencer, for all you know, the reality could be much better than the fantasy." I do a nose-scrunching smile, but it doesn't seem to cheer her up much. Damn, am I losing it already?

"I sure hope it is. The dream always ends the same though." She says with a dismal tone."

"What? Do we get caught by our moms or something?" I half-joked.

"No. It's someone from my past that's watching us do.." She glances at me and I give the 'go on' face. "Do intimate things."

"So, we have someone that likes to watch." She has a sad look on her face, I think I know who the mystery person may be. "Who is she?"

She pauses for a moment before she speaks up. "My ex."

"Oh..ok. Are we talking like insignificant grade school ex or do you mean-?"

"She was my first love, Ashley. Her name was Brittany." She cuts me off. I think she likes getting to the point when it comes to me, but not the other way around. It's alright, I kinda like the bossy side of her. "In the dream, she's just watching us. No emotion on her face."

"Well, that's a relief. I don't wanna be killed by ghost of girlfriends past in your dream land." I laugh a little then immediately stop after I see the annoyed look she's giving me. "I apologize, Spencer. Obviously, this is a recurring dream which must mean something." Her face softens a bit. "How did you and her break up?"

She gives me a surprised look. "Do you really wanna know?"

"Yes." I answer honestly. I hold out my arms so she can hold on to me. "It might benefit the both of us getting it out of the open." She accepts and again, I'm hit with that french vanilla scent. I'm not usually the comforting type, but something tells me this is going to be one of those times where we learn about each other's history…or maybe just hers, I don't think I'm ready to tell mine yet. "Tell me what happened." I urge her softly.

"Well…she and I were dating for about 2 years, under the radar of my parents. I didn't think my dad would care, but I knew my mom would if she found out. She's old-school Catholic." I make a 'hmmph' sound. I've dealt with girls that had hang-ups with their sexuality and faith. Luckily, Spencer is not one of them. "Well, living on a base, rumors spread easily, Brittany and I were having an argument about whether to come out as a couple and just live our life, ya know? She wanted me to choose her over my family and get reassigned with her to Amsterdam. I told her I couldn't just leave everything behind like that. She stormed out and left."

I start to play with her hair for comfort. Real motherly of me, I know. "So, then what happened?"

"That's when everything started falling apart." I can hear her sniffling, but I can't see any tears. If I see tears, I don't know what I'm gonna do. "My mom received a letter from an unknown source telling her about our relationship, I tried to lie about it at first. But, whoever the motherfucker was that did it had pictures, too." I know that I'm suppose to be serious right now, but since I met her, I don't think I ever heard Spencer curse. It's kinda adorable that she doesn't curse like a sailor. "My mom and I argued for awhile. I came out to her and said it's nothing she can do about it. I felt relieved, like weight has been taken off my shoulders. That's when I went to Brittany's house." She shakes her head a bit. "I figured now that my mom knows, what do we got to lose, right?"

"Right." I agree, even though, I feel like I shouldn't be saying anything right now. I just want Spencer to know I'm listening.

She lets out a bitter laugh. "A day."

"What?" I ask puzzled.

"Brittany couldn't even wait a day without hooking up with some skank from a different unit. I caught them in the act, Ash. She tried to reason with me, first saying she was drunk, then saying the girl came on to her and then finally, blaming me. I don't know nor do I care if she was seeing the girl behind my back or if it was just some one-night stand."

"Damn, Spence, I didn't know." I can't think of the right words to say in this. I just hold her so she doesn't break down. "What did you do?"

"I walked out. I didn't want to hear anything else she had to say. I found out later that she left for Amsterdam anyway. I haven't spoken to her since."

"Wow.." That was a lot to take in. "I guess that's why you gave me such a hard time in the beginning."

"..Yea." She shifts so she can get more comfortable. "I'm sorry." She replies with guilt.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For giving you a hard time in the beginning. If I knew it would be like this." She waves her hands around to signify it. "I wouldn't have been so cautious."

"I understand the caution, but.." I raise her chin up so she can see my sincerity. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, Spence. I just hope you don't take me through the ringer anymore because of her."

"Are you saying you never cheated or lied to a girl you were dating?" She questions in a mocking tone.

"No, I have never done that." She stares at me for a long time, I roll my eyes at one I'm about to confess. "Then again, I haven't had many girlfriends."

"How many have you had?"

"Just one. In ninth grade." I gaze at her. "She did me dirty, too. But, I didn't let that stop me. Carmen helped me out."

"I guess we both only had one girlfriend." She pauses. "How exactly did Carmen help you out?"

"She showed me that you can't trust a girl and that it's better to be safe than sorry."

"So, because of that you became a player?" She doesn't say it in disgust, it sounds like she really wants to know where I came from.

"I guess.." I reply not really wanting to talk about it. "Trust me, it gets tiring after awhile. I don't know how some can do it for their whole life."

"Are you trying to say you're gonna throw in the towel?" She questions.

"I'm saying I could if I had a good enough reason to."

"You mean you think you could.." She corrects me. I shake my head and I see her glance at me.

"I'm saying I know I could. I have faith in myself..unlike some." I feign like I'm offended, but then give her a smile showing it's all good. We watch the movie for awhile

before she speaks up again.

"You never answered my question, you know.."

"Dammit. I thought that all this hotness surrounding you would make you forget." I look at her to see her reaction.

"It almost did." She beams. "But since it didn't, answer the question."

"Ugh! Do I have to?" I whine.

"No, I won't force you. In fact, I'll sit over here so I won't make you do anything you don't want to do." She starts to move away, but I firmly hold her in her place. I like her being close to me.

"Fine." I heave out a breath. "I'll tell you."

"That's more like it." Spencers says with a smug, but adorable expression.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes playfully. "Me and Carmen were lounging around in my room one day and she was tellin me about how she just went all the way with this girl who was a junior." She gives me a confused look. "We were freshman."

"Wow! That young, huh?" She chuckles a bit.

"Yea, it's silly, but I kinda had a crush on Carmen back in the day." I feel my face heat up from embarrassment.

"It's ok, I can see why. She's hot." I look at her in shock. "Don't worry, she's not the one I want. I like musicians." She grins which makes me grin in return.

"Is this you're way of flirting with me, Carlin?"

"No, I don't have to flirt with you, Davies." She gestures between us. "I already got you where I want you." She gestures between us.

"Hmm. Likewise, Spence." I love this confident side of her, I guess she's getting more comfortable with me. "Anyways, I confessed to Carmen that I haven't done it yet, but I wanted to do it with someone I care about…" Yes, I was that kind of girl before. "and she came up with the idea that she should break my lesbian cherry." I laugh & rest my head back on the pillow.

"Did she?"

"Nope. Believe me, it was a mess. We were kissing, but we were all out of sync, I bit her lip too hard. But, we kept goin. We were trying to take each other's clothes off and she got stuck in her clothing and was flailing her arms. I tried to help her out and she accidently knocked me in my head with her elbow. I had a bump the size of a lemon." I put my hand over my face as Spencers doubles over from laughter. "Go on and laugh it up."

"I'm sorry, but you gotta admit that it was probably a sign not to go through with it."

"Yea, I suppose it was."

"So, kissing is very important to you, I guess." She confirms out of nowhere. Why did she just say that?

"Of course, it is. You can have the best tongue and hand skills in the world, but if you can't get me started with just a kiss, then it's over." I state honestly. That's truth right there.

She just nods her head and watches the movie. "I see you're passionate about that."

"Yea, because I'm a passionate kisser." She glances at me for a second and bites her lip. Score one for me. I start to brush my fingers up and down her back and I feel her shiver. This would be a good time to kiss her, but something tells me that I shouldn't; not yet. We watch the rest of the movie in silence.

About an hour or so later, the credits start to roll. We're still in the same position as before and I don't wanna get up, but it looks ridiculous not to after the movie is over.

"Well, that was heartfelt, wasn't it?" I asked making conversation. She nods and lets me up (reluctantly, I might add) to turn off the film. I do an unnecessary stretch to see if she would pay attention to what I was saying or what I was doing. "So, do you wanna watch another movie?"

I see her eyes fix on my abs and my V-cut. You know that swimmer's cut that every person wants. Yea, blessed with good genes, baby. "Huh?" She answers me. She finally shakes her head and looks up, I chuckle a bit at her trance.

I mentally pat myself on the back for wearing such a short band tee and low riders. "I asked if you wanted to watch another movie. Maybe, Jennifer's Body?"

"Uhm, no, I didn't really like that movie."

"Oh..ok." Damn, there goes my Megan Fox fix for me tonight.

"In fact, I should get going." She looks at her phone. "It's almost 1am."

"Well, Kyla won't be back for awhile with the car, so.." We stay there for a minute. I watch her have a mini-debate with herself.

"Do you think I should stay?" Her blue eyes are asking for my permission. She must think there's a time limit on dates with me.

Uh yeah! "I would like for you to stay a little while longer." I grab her hand. "Unless you're Cinderella and you have to go before Glen turns into a pumpkin."

She laughs and gives me a pondering look. "I guess I can stay. I don't really wanna take a cab ride home at this time of night anyway."

"Great!" I say excitedly. Realizing I sound like a total spaz at the moment. "So…what do you wanna do then?"

"I don't know..what do you wanna do?" She replies in a suggestive tone. Is she testing my staying power right now? Cuz if so, that's not fair.

"Umm.." She smirks at me. I regain my composure, I look outside the window and an idea hits me. I'm pulling out all the romantic cards tonight . "Do you want to take a walk on the beach?"

She starts grinning from ear to ear. "Sure, why not?"

"Hold that thought, I'll be right back." I run upstairs and look at my 3 longest relationships a.k.a. my guitars. "Let's see." I say to myself. "Joan or India, hmm." I look at the oldest one that my father gave to me, it was his when he went on his first tour. "I'm gonna bring you out tonight, Poison." I said to my guitar. Yes, I talk to my guitar. So what? That's how you nurture perfection. I run back downstairs and I see Spencer's eyes light up at what I'm carrying.

"What do we have here?"

"Well, the first time we met, I told you that I was a music major. I figured why not show you what 3 years of college music classes can do." I beam.

"So, you're not trying to serenade me into your bed tonight with that?" She

"I don't use it for that purpose." I reply frankly. "This is my own enjoyment." She nods her head in understanding. "Come on, let's go." I take Spencer's hand again and lead the way. She's holding her flips flops & towel in her hand while I'm holding my guitar. This would be a picture perfect scene for a Hallmark card. There's a full moon and a clear sky, all the stars seem to be chasing the waves. We set up camp as close as we can t the ocean without getting wet.

She sits down and watches the ocean do its swaying number with the twinkle of the stars. She's wearing a peaceful expression, looking up at the world around her. "I haven't been to the beach since I got here. It's so beautiful."

"It sure is." I reply while I fix my eyes on her. I look at everything. I look at how her blond hair looks lighter under the moonlight. How her lips pout out while she's in thought. How her ocean blue eyes peek at me from the side to se if I'm looking.

"You were referring to me, weren't you?" She turns and shoots me an amused expression.

I laugh like I've been caught taking an extra cookie. "I sure was. Guilty."

"It's ok. I would've done the same thing too. I probably will later on." She smiles and then looks at my guitar. "What are you gonna play for me?"

"A little somethin somethin. I'm only gonna play the 2nd part of the song though, ok? It's been awhile." I answer. I'm being a bit elusive at the moment cause I'm not sure what I'll play. I've never done this for a girl before. No matter how much they ask me to play, I never thought any of them were that important to play for.

"I'm ready to be wooed then." She giggles. I laugh nervously as I make sure it's in tune.

"You ready?"

"Ready." I clear my throat before I play the first few chords. Here goes nothing.

_"Tell me how you feel and if I'm getting near_

_I'll tell you where to steer, you'll tell me where to steer._

_Da-da-da-darlin._

_Way above the clouds and high above the stars_

_Through the unknown black holes, no one knows where we are._

_But we'll return to Earth and do it all over again."_

My voice sounds a bit tense as I sing the chorus. I peek to see if Spencer notices my nerves, but all I can see is her being in awe. All her attention is on me and it's a really good feeling. By the time I get to the bridge, I gain more confidence in my playing.

_"Come away with me, come fly away with me. _

_Just for one night, no one will ever know, no, no. _

_Darlin, I will leave you satisfied, forever past time. _

_You don't have to hide, you're free to fly."_

I'm no longer looking at which chords come next. My eyes are on her completely as I sing the last of the song. I'm back in my Davies bag as I'm smiling and making sure Spencer knows the words are for her. I want her to trust me.

_"Cause I know that after tonight, you don't have to look up the stars. _

_No, no, no, no._

_I know that by the end of tonight, you don't have to look up at the stars._

_And I know if the love is alright, you don't have to look up at the stars._

_No, no, no, no. _

_I know by the end of tonight, you'll be looking down upon them from heaven."_

I do a little humming and I show off my dexterity with a couple of riffs before I end it. It's quiet for a moment. Only the sound of the waves crashing can be heard.

"Well, what ya think?" I ask expectantly.

She instantly grins at me and gives me a hug, making my guitar do it's own 'oomph' sound. "I loved it, Ashley." She breathes out, I takes this moment to smell her sweet scent again and I hold her there a moment longer. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

She hasn't let go of me yet and I'm glad. "Do you think you can teach me?"

"Sure. Do you wanna start now?" I ask, she gives me this unreadable look. The only thing I notice is that her eyes have gotten darker.

"Maybe later." Her voice drops an octave and I can't help to be turned on by it a little. "This date has been awesome."

I nod my head and sweep some of her golden hair out of her face. "The best I had." Her cheeks turn red at my statement. We sit there for a moment while the rest of the world moves around us. Spencer is wearing that debatable expression again.

"So, after tonight, huh?" I set my guitar down so there's more space to us. "What happens after tonight?" I put her legs on the sides of my body so she's straddling me. She looks alarmed and looks down.

"Whatever you wanna happen, 'baby blue'." That's right. I leave it up to her, I want her to make the first move. I don't have to be the initiator all the time.

"I'm not quite sure what I want right now." Dammit, Carlin, you're making this difficult.

I shake my head. "That's a lie. You know what you want, but you're scared." I wrap my arms around her waist. "I'm scared, too." I admit to her. "But, I won't let it stop me from getting what I want."

She goes from my eyes to my lips and back again. Oh shit, this is the moment I've been waiting for. She leans in and I lean in, but I sense her hesitation when she takes in a breath. Guess I'll have to make the first move after all.

I close the 2-inch gap and press my lips on her full ones. Softly, but eagerly. I don't want this to be an awkward kiss. To my relief, she presses back just as soft. I think my heart just did a triple bass drum kick. We continue to kiss and I feel her hands on my face trying to steady herself, but they're shaking a bit. I do a quick manuever and put her arms around my neck as our mouths are moving so well together.

I feel her tongue slide between my lips asking for permission. Wow! That didn't take long. I guess she's got some spice to her sweetness. Speaking of sweetness, her lips and tongue taste like honey. I pull her into me more which causes her to gasp, but she quickly distracts me from it by sliding one of her hands down my chest, she's rubbing my stomach and it's soothing..in a sexual way, though.

I try to keep my composure with her, but she's doing this little twirl with her tongue that's sending me off the edge. I don't know where she learned it from. I just know that it's working. I swiftly turn her on her back and I'm halfway on her, our legs intertwined.

I let my hand creep up her jean-clad thigh and somewhat up her shirt while I lightly tug on her bottom lip in the process. I hear her let out a soft moan and my ego just got inflated a little. Spencer's fingers find their way to my hair. She tugs on it a little as I'm giving her neck some attention. Her breathing becomes more erratic when I suck on her pulsepoint. Her skin feels so delicate that I'm afraid I'll lose control. Hmm..That sounded oddly Twilight of me.

"Ashley.." She breathes into my ear. Her warm breath just made me lose my rational thoughts as well as her body moving below me. Make a mental note of the neck area. "Ashley.." She says again, this time a little bit more firm.

"Yea?.." I whisper. I feel my body involuntarily press into hers as she stares at me, her eyes almost matching the night sky above us. Her face is flushed, too. My right hand seems to have a mind of its own cause it's sliding up her shirt right now

She bites her lip and then rolls her eyes in frustration. "We should stop." She answers with a little reluctance in her voice.

Nooo. I drop my head, then gently roll off of her. I knew it was coming, but we just got started. I'm not upset though cause I wasn't gonna let it get that far….what? I wasn't! Don't give me that condescending look. I can control my urges.

We lay there looking up at the stars until I hear her sigh. "I'm sorry." She begins. "I know you're used to girls being more willing with you."

I raise myself up on the elbows to look at her knowing what I need to say to make her not feel guilty. "You don't have to be sorry, Spencer. I understand where you're coming from and I'm not mad." She looks at me with uncertainty. "We can go at whatever you speed you like, I'll be your passenger." She doesn't say anything at first, just gives me a quick peck on my lips. That was nice.

"Even if it takes awhile?" She does a slight smirk.

"I can hold out." I grin. "I might can hold out longer than you."

She laughs and snuggles up next to me and I feel her warmth again. "You were telling the truth." She announces while circling her fingers around my stomach area. I could fall asleep like this.

"About what?"

"You being a passionate kisser." She glances up to see my reaction, which is a smug grin.

We kiss again, longer this time before she rests her head on me. I feel her body relax into mine. "You're not so bad yourself, 'baby blue'." I breathe out. She holds on to me a little tighter as we drift off to sleep to the sounds of the crashing waves that's matching the thunder growing inside of my heart. I'm catching feelings as if they were fly balls.

Unexpected, but exhilirating to know you have something like this in the palm of your hands.

I look down and noticed that Spencer's eyes are closed. She seems so peaceful. I've never been the religious type, but as I look up into the so-called heavens. I ask the Universe in a silent prayer to please work for me in my favor; just this once. I don't want another repeat cause if so there's no turning back from that. I'll drift away from love like the non-existent clouds above me.

I see the brightest star in the clusters twinkle and I do a minor smile at my 'could-be' sign. I wrap my arms around Spencer's slender frame with my hand softly caressing her hair letting myself feel vulnerable with her for tonight and after.

* * *

**Like I said before, the song that is used in this is very important to me. I used to play it for a special someone that was in my life and she knows who she is if she still reads this. *sigh***

**People that have read the original, I hope this was up to par; people that are reading it for the first time, I hope you enjoyed it. :)**

**Song used: After Tonight by Justin Nozuka**


	16. WakeUp Call

**Hello again, my fanfictioners. :) Another big numbers of reviews (17 by my last count). A few favorite story/author alerts, too. A couple of the reviews are long, so I sent a reply back to them in PM form. I see that most of ya'll do want Kyla's POV…but to be fair, I'm gonna do Spencer's POV so the minority rules this one. *ducks from the used dental dams being thrown at me* Just this once! Now, to answer reviews.**

**Bree-bree123: A new reviewer? Sorry, so many different pennames. Lol! Glad I made you do a happy dance with Spashley's first kiss. :)**

**Smoochez32: Thanks for the review. That was just what I was going for. Similar; yet different. :)**

**Slushhy: Thank you, thank you. Don't worry, Kymen's relationship will get a kick start. I mean come on, Kyla is in charge of it. Lol!**

**Ladiimouse: Lol! the consecutive 'OMG's. Why do people think they're not together? Is it becuz Ashley doesn't know?**

**SuperAwsome: Love your penname, my newest reviewer. Lol! I'm sorry. I will make Kyla's POV a little bit more fun than usual in the next chapter. ;)**

**NileGirl: I'm glad I received another review from you, my dear. Um, did you mean Emily instead of Sam? Cuz when I saw Sam, I thought True Blood. Lmao! But, yea, that kiss on PLL's was yummy. ;) Did you see this week's episode?**

**JayJay953: Ah, don't we all love cute Spashley & Kymen moments? I know I do! :) Thanks for your review. **

**Disclaimer: It's like a broken record me repeating this; I don't own SON or the songs used. **

* * *

Spencer's POV

I remember when I was 11 years old and I woke up to the smell of my dad's famous Belgian waffles after Glen and I..okay, I got straight A's on my report card. That was his reward to us since mom always had us eating healthy. We were able to put whatever we want on our waffles and however much we want; cherries, apples, whipped cream, chocolate syrup; the works! That was one of my greatest wake-up calls I have ever experienced...but at this moment, right here with a sexy brunette just surpassed any Belgian waffle wake-ups.

The sun is just beginning to rise from the horizon. I don't think I've seen an L.A. sunrise since I've been here, but it's beautiful. Although, the sight before me has my attention. She's still holding me and oddly enough, I'm still holding her; her chest rising up and down rhythmically. I look away once I realize I'm watching her as she sleeps. I should feel embarrassed that I stayed the whole night with her; yet I'm not. It could be because she didn't try anything during the night. Wait! Did she try anything?

I look down to see that my clothes are still in tact, not that there's much to take off anyway. She was considerate enough to wrap the blanket around us since we slept near the ocean. I wonder if she's done this with any other girl before. Oh, come on, Spencer, now is not the time to feel a little jealous..not when you have her all to yourself. Yea, but for how long? How long will she stay? Shut up, doubt! You didn't show up at all last night and now you wanna crash in like an uninvited guest?... I'm really having an argument with myself, aren't I?

"Mmm, these damn seagulls are really killing my sleeping buzz." I hear Ashley say groggily. God, her voice is even raspier when she's just waking up. She pulls me into her closer. "Good morning." A smile forms her lips.

"Good morning." I reply back beaming, even though she can't see it since her eyes are still closed. "I take it you're not a morning person."

"Not this early, no."

"Me neither."

She opens her eyes & all I see is chocolate. I've always been a fan of brown eyes, different shades, but this shade I like the best. "So, why are you awake at the ass-crack of dawn, 'baby blue'? Did you think I was only in your dreams again?"

"Nooo." I jokingly look around as if I'm fibbing. "But, just in case...can you pinch my cheek so I know I'm not?"

"Sure." Her hand comes up to my face before swiftly swinging down to pinch my right buttcheek.

"AH!" I jumped up..well, into her since we haven't changed positions. "Ashley, why did you do that?" I ask wide-eyed. I'm not mad, I'm just surprised at her boldness and by how much I liked it.

"You didn't specify which type of cheek, Spence. At least, you know this is real." She smirks, her hand is resting lightly on my butt. "Next time, I'll give you a warning."

"Next time, huh?" I say moving her hand away, I sit up a little. "What makes you so sure there's gonna be a next time?"

"Your brother gave me his blessing before they left last night and he even said I get a freebie on a boob touch, but I altered it a little just now." She giggles when she sees my jaw drops. Glen has such a perverted mind.

"Remind him to beat him up when I get back to our dorm." Oh, no! Our dorm. School, Class. "Shit! What time is it?"

"I don't know." She sits up with her hair all tousled up. She even looks pretty in the morning. "I guess, like 7:30 or something." She stands up and stretches, showing off those abs of hers. I'm gonna have so much fun sliding my hands up and down them…you know when the time is right, of course.

I shake my head out of my trance as she gives me a hand up onto my feet. "I should get going, I have a 9am class."

"Or you can take an unofficial day off." She grins mischievously. "Come on, be a rebel with me." We start walking back to the house, leaving our little paradise behind us.

"I can't, there's an exam today. Besides, I don't wanna overstay my welcome, you might have me sleeping out in the sands again." I teasingly bump my hip with hers.

"Yea, yea, whatever." She replies bumping back. "You want me to make you an omelette while you go take a shower?" I subconsciously scan her body when she asks me that, remembering from one of my other dreams a shower scene. It doesn't go unnoticed by her. "Or I can join you.. your choice." She opens the door for me.

"I thought we were gonna take this slow." I reiterate.

"We are. It doesn't mean I can't throw out suggestions though." She does that nose-scrunch smile again. Dammit.

"Well…don't tempt me." I reply playfully, but I am serious. It has been awhile since I had sexual contact with a woman. How long, you may ask? A lady never tells.

_"It's been a week without me and she feels weak without me_

_She wanna talk it out but ain't nothin' to talk about_

_Unless she talk about freakin' out, then maybe we can work it out._

_Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out now._

_Maybe we can work it out." _

We walk in to Kyla stretching on a swiss ball. "Why, hello, you two." She says with a wide smile on her face. She gets up and turns the music down. "Funny seeing you hear this early, Spencer." She states with an inquisitive look. "Did you decide to stay for a little night cap?"

"Uhmm, well.." I start to get self-conscious. I know we didn't do anything, but by how are hair and clothes are all scruffled up, it implies different.

"Quit it, Ky. We were on the beach and we fell asleep, alright?" She turns to me for confirmation. "Isn't that right, Spencer?"

"That's what happened."

"Suuure. Whatever you say." I see Kyla skip to the kitchen and get a bowl of cereal.

"Kyla, how is it that you have so much energy right now?" I question. Seriously, she's like a bundle of nerves.

"Oh, you know, healthy spirit, healthy mind, healthy body. That's what exercise does." I see Ashley hold up a bag of Starbucks ground coffee behind Kyla. I stifle my laughter.

"That's all?" I ask suspiciously. "You sure you didn't have a pick-me-up of some sort."

She turns around and sees Ashley holding the bag. "Damn, Ashley, you're gonna rat me out. We're suppose to be blood."

"Well, stop lying then." Ashley looks at me. "You can borrow some of my clothes if you want, so you don't have to throw on the same stuff."

"Thanks, Ashley. Oh and Western Omelette, please." I shoot her a cheeky grin.

She salutes me as she gets to work. "Yes, ma'am." I go upstairs, but not before I see Kyla throw her hands up with a disbelieving look. "What?" I hear Ashley say.

"You're cooking her breakfast?" Kyla asks with an incredulous tone. I stay where I'm at. Usually, I'm not so nosey, but I have a feeling that Ashley doesn't cook often.

"Yea. So?"

"Nothing." She pauses. "I don't recall you cooking for any girl."

"Well…she's not just any girl. I like her, Kyla." I start beaming from Ashley's reply.

"So, why don't you cook for me then?"

"Because I don't like you." I hear Kyla scoff. "But I do love you."

"Uh-huh. Ditto." I hear another short pause. "Did you try to seduce her?"

"...No.."

"Did you want to?"

"Of course I did. I'm not trying to scare her off though."

"How long do you think she'll make you wait until you get intimate?"

"Kyla, drop it."

"I'm just wondering if you can handle it. You're used to getting it just like that." I hear Kyla snap her fingers. Really? That quick?

"Well, I'm gonna have it on lock then. I can control myself."

"Ha! We'll see about that."

I don't hear Ashley's reply back because the sound of a door opening distracted me. I freeze in place thinking that I'm caught red-handed.

"Oooh, what do we have here?" Carmen with the same knowing smirk that Kyla had on her face. Neither of them knows anything. "Is this the walk of shame, blondie?"

"No!" I retort loudly. I quickly clamp my mouth shut with my hand hoping they didn't hear me downstairs.

"Relax, Spencer. I'm just messing with you." It's silent for a couple of seconds. "So, what happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened. Why does everyone think we did something?"

"Uh, because you spent the night. I saw you two lying out on the beach like some Kodak moment when me and Kyla came in."

"Oh." I blush a little, remembering what happened before we fell asleep, then snap my self out of it once I realize what Carmen is wearing. "Is that your bathrobe?"

"Oh, no. It's A's robe. See?" She smiles and points to the inscripted 'A' "I couldn't find any robes in Kyla's room."

"You spent the night, too?" I give her a quizzical look. If I'm busted, she's busted. "In Kyla's room?"

"What? I know this will be my first time saying this, but it's not what you think, alright? Kyla and I got tired, so we left. Your brother and Keys stayed until the club closed down, so I'm guessing she dropped him off."

"So, where did you sleep then?" I fold my arms for good measure.

"In the guest room." She says defensively, her demeanor quickly shifts. "I mean I would've liked to have slept with Kyla." I raise an eyebrow. "Slept in the same bed with Kyla. Not sleep with, you know..forget it"

"Ok...did anything happen between you two?"

"…Define 'anything'."

"I'll take that as something happened." Carmen looks away and starts fidgeting. "You don't have to tell me, Carmen. I'll just find out from Kyla later." I walk past her to get to the shower realizing I'm gonna be late.

"Wait! Does Ashley know I'm here?" She asks worriedly.

"I don't know." I throw her a sideways glance. "But, you won't be in trouble, it's not like anything happened, right?"

"Yea, right." She murmurs. "Just don't tell her. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"It sounds to me like you're bitching up a little."

"Come on, you know how Ashley is. I'm surprised she didn't text Kyla every half-hour to see if she was getting gangbanged by me, Keys, and Glen last night." I think of the image and I am both amused and disgusted at the same time. "Not that I would do that, of course."

"Riiight. Ok, well, I'm gonna take that shower now."

"I'll be in the guest room. Just don't tell her I'm here."

"Me lying to the girl I like is not how I want to start a relationship off." I say truthfully.

"Oh, so it's a relationship now?" Carmen beams. "Nice, nice." She sighs. "I'ma have to take her player card away from her if that happens."

I shake my head and begin to close the door. "You might wanna get rid of yours while you're at it. I have a feeling it won't be of use." She flags me off.

"Good comeback, 'baby blue'." She mimics Ashley's voice. She can't beat the original though.

"You should bury the robe in Kyla's hamper. Might be seen as evidence." She sticks her tongue at me while I close the door.

Thirty minutes later. I am out the shower and ruffling through Ashley's clothes. She has so many. I open one drawer and close it realizing it's where she keeps her underwear. Maybe one peek wouldn't be so bad.

"Whoa!" I exclaim, pulling out some itty bitty bikini-cut panties. It looks like I wouldn't even cover 1/3 of my ass. "I would love to see her in a pair of these." I say to myself.

"You have to choose something, Spence." I turn to see Ashley standing in a towel, hair dripping a little. Why do I always seem to catch her when she is naked? Why am I even complaining? It doesn't help that I'm still in my towel, too. "You don't wanna be late."

"Well.." I swallow hard. "I realize you have so many to choose from." I hold up her panties. "Do you have anything lengthier than this?"

She steps closer to me. "I might have some granny panties." I make a sour face. "I'm kidding, I have some boy shorts." She tosses me some pink ones, then goes to another drawer and pulls out some navy blue shorts and a white v-neck. "Here you go. Those should fit you."

"I'm surprised you have articles of clothing that are pink." I'm about to slip them on under my towel when I realize Ashley is gazing at my form very, very slowly. "A little privacy, please." I feel like I'm under inspection, even though I like her eyes on me.

"Hey, you're in my room." She retorts with a smirk.

"Ash!"

"Fine, I'll go change in the guest room since Kyla's getting dressed right now in hers." She starts gathering up her clothes to wear. "You know I had to stop her from eating your omelette, that hungry hippo. She's worse than Carmen sometimes." Oh, fuck! Carmen. I almost forgot.

I rush to the door to stop her, she looks at me oddly. "Actually, stay in here and change." What the hell am I doing? "I mean, we did just spend the night with each other." I add in a flirty tone. "I think we can manage getting dressed in the same room together."

She shoots me a devilish smile. "You sure about that? Cause if I change here in the room with you, you can forget about that exam. That's a promise." She pins me up to the door, which in turn, makes me gasp. I'm not used to dealing this much assertiveness from a girl, but it's rather a turn-on. "You know what I would like to do with you right now?" She whispers it on my lips.

"Uhh..no" I lie. I know what she wants because I want the same thing in a way, but I never give it up after a first, second or even a third date. I'm not Glen.

"How bout I give you a hint?" She leans a bit closer to my face; her eyes go from my eyes to my lips, back and forth. Deciding if she should or not, I end up making the decision for her because half of my morals are out the window and waving their asses bye-bye to me.

I press my lips on hers and she presses back with such a soft force. I almost lose my balance at how nice her tongue feels with mine. I feel her arm snake around my waist, making sure not to tug on my towel. My leg finds a spot between hers and I have to hold in a moan because her body heat that is emanating from that spot is driving me nuts. It must be having an effect on her too since her other arm is being used to steady herself up. Score one for Carlin. I never was this forward before in my life, but I guess that's what happens when you're not 'active' for awhile.

*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK*

"Shit." I hear Ashley mutter on my neck. I give her a sad smile. "What?" Ashley snaps at whoever interrupted us.

"Are you two fucking in there?" We hear Kyla's muffled voice "Cause if so, I'm telling Dad." We then hear loud chuckling coming from her.

"Kyla, get the hell away from my room." She rests her forehead on mines. "She's a fuckin' clamjammer, I tell you."

I rub her cheek and give her another peck. "I've noticed. Maybe this is payback for cramping her style." She frowns a little and lets me up off the door.

"Whatever ya'll are doing in there, hurry it up. We're gonna be late." Kyla tells us. Right. Class. That place where you learn.

"Alright, we're comin'." Ashley replies. Not in the way I would want to. Damn, did I just think that? She opens the door and Kyla is standing there with a smug look on her face. "You're such a brat when you want to be, you know that?"

Kyla looks between the two of us and claps. "I'm impressed, Ashley. I didn't think you could be in the same room together for a prolonged time without clothes being ripped off. Or did you do that already?"

"Kyla, please shut up." Ashley rolls her eyes. "I'll see you in a few, Spence." She walks off, swaying her hips in the process.

"It's not nice to stare, Spencer." Kyla nudges me, my cheeks turn red. "I didn't think you would be moving this quick with my sister."

"I'm not...it's just you were changing in your room and I know for a fact that the guest room is occupied." I say pointedly.

"Damn..." Kyla runs her fingers through her hair knowing exactly what I mean. "It's not what you think."

"I say the same thing, but no one believes me."

"Well, she's gonna roll out once we're out of here." Kyla suggests "I'll leave you to get dressed and wipe yourself off since you probably got all wet again." I roll my eyes at her remark.

"Why don't you just tell Ashley she's here?"

"Spencer, you're only seeing the good traits of Ashley right now. You don't wanna see the bad traits just yet." Bad traits? What bad traits?

"Alright, I'll meet you guys downstairs." I rush and get dressed when I hear another knock from the door and it's Kyla again.

"By the way, I ate your omelet. Sorry, I got hungry."

I chuckle a bit and open the door again; Kyla and Ashley are already downstairs. Ashley grabs her car keys and scoots everyone out the door.

"Don't wanna be tardy now." She laughs. I see Kyla look up to the 2nd floor nervously and read a text that makes her smile. She's gotta come clean to me sometime. She definitely needs to come clean to Ashley; her and Carmen both.

After passing about 3 stoplights just before yellow went to red, an argument between Kyla and Ashley on whether to play Coldplay or Taking Back Sunday while driving, and a more than ten second kiss of Ashley kissing me good-bye and ruffling up Kyla's hair like she's 7; I finally make it to class. Fifteen minutes late. Luckily, I didn't get penalized for it & I was finished in about 45 minutes.

I get back to my room and hear some R&B song playing loudly from it. I almost don't wanna go in there, but I'm still a bit sleepy from this morning. I walk in and immediately want to throw acid in my eyes from the sight in front of me.

_"No cards or candy, gimme them panties. _

_Girl, I am your gift tonight._

_Girl, you're gonna cry tears from yo' eyes_

_Don't wanna disrespect ya, I know I just met ya._

_But we both know we want_

_First date sex."_

"What the hell?" My jaw drops. I feel like running out and screaming, yet I'm glued to where I'm at.

"¡Ay, sí!" I see Madison riding some guy like a bull in front of me. "Más duro, papi, más duro." She moans. I'm about to throw up last night's amazing meal from this.

"Damn, Maddy. Take it easy." I see a flash of blond hair underneath her and instantly knows who voice it is.

"Don't you fucking stop, Carlin. Don't stop!" She orders. Oh, this is just too much.

"Oh, my god! Glen! What the fuck are you doing?" I yell. He moves Madison to the side and the color of his red face begins to pale, which is not a good look on a sweaty white guy.

"Hey, Spence. I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon." Glen smiles nervously.

Madison climbs off of him and wraps herself up in her sheets. "Spencer, don't you know how to knock, puta?" She glares at me for messing up her groove. What is she glaring at me for? It's not like I did it on purpose.

"This is my fucking room, too." I snap back. "In fact, can you get out, please? I need to talk to my brother." I stare him down and he looks between me and Madison

"Are you serious? After you just interrupted what we were doing?" Madison yells.

"Maddy, can you just give us ten minutes, please?" Glen puts on his boxers underneath the covers and hands Madison her towel.

"Sure, papi. No problem." She puts it on and hops out of bed. "I'll go freshen up."

"I'll be back." She passes me by and catch a whiff of sweaty man sex off of her! Ugh! Nauseating. We look at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

"So..how was your date?" He starts

"How long have you been doing this with her?" I ignore his question.

"Since the frat party. We hooked up while we were there." My brother gets up and puts his shirt and pants on. "It's no big deal. It's just sex with me and her."

"No big deal? It's my roommate, Glen. I gotta live with her. What if she catches feelings for you?"

He snorts. "That's not gonna happen, Spence. She's all about sex."

"Is that what everybody is about nowadays?" I shake my head as I sit on my bed. Glen eyes me down from the other side.

"Did Ashley do something to you?" He says, getting that protective brother tone.

"No, no, just the opposite, Glen."

"I'm not following here."

I let out a heavy sigh. "I'm feeling her a lot. I know what type of person she is..or was. I mean I know she's sincere, but I overheard-"

"You overheard?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Fine. I was eavesdropping."

"That's what I thought."

"Anyways…I overheard Kyla joking with her about how she's not gonna be able to hack it, not being a player and all. That's what worries me, Glen.

"Ok, but do you believe she's running game on you?"

"No. I don't believe that. I mean she had two chances to take me to bed, but she didn't."

"Chances to take you to bed? Was you about to give it up last night? Damn, Spence that would've been weird if we were both having sex at the same time." He starts to grin and I throw a pillow at him.

"You're so vulgar."

"I'm sorry." He glances at me. "I don't see the problem here, but you must've had some night last night to be so open about all this."

I nod my head slowly, replaying the song, the words, the kiss, the thoughtfulness; everything.. "I did. I think she's doing things with me that she hasn't done with other girls. I'm trying not to close her out because I want to see what this can be. I'm still a little scared"

"Then, go with your gut." He gets up and reaches under Madison's mattress. "Maybe if you do that, you can finally get over this." He holds up the picture of Brittany and I. Now it's my turn for my face to go pale.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh, you know where. Madison told me you stare at this from time to time" His face is calm, but his eyes express disappointment. "I can't believe you still keep this, Spencer."

"I know, I know." I say with a look of guilt. "But, Glen, it's the only thing I have left of her. It's like a keepsake."

"You should be over her by now because your 'keepsake' can affect your judgment on what to do in future relationships." He sits next to me. "Brittany is ancient history."

"Thank you, Dr. Phil." He slings his arm around mine. Ugh! He smells like Madison's cheap perfume. "I just don't want history to repeat itself with Ashley."

"There's only one way to find out, Spence. Take the risk. I know it's scary, but that's what being in like is all about."

"Being in like?" What?

"Yea, you're so in like with her right now that it has you doubting everything. Don't doubt something that hasn't even developed yet."

"I guess you're right." He gives me a side hug and gets up. "I'm gonna think it through."

"Stop thinking and just act on it, sis. I'll leave this with you, I hope you do what you feel is right." He puts the photo in my hands and walks to the door. "I'll hit you up soon cause I wanna know what happened on the date and I wanna tell you what happened at the club. How far did you get anyway?" He smirks.

I throw my other pillow at him and he throws it back, we both laugh. "Bye, Glen." He waves off and closes the door. I look back down at the picture and stare at it for the longest. It doesn't have the same effect on me anymore. I see my phone buzz out of the corner of my eye. I pick it up and it's Ashley.

"Hello, Miss Carlin."

"Hi, Ash." I say smiling in the phone. Is it weird that I'm happy to hear her voice? "What's up?"

"I was just checking on you to see how your exam went. You think you passed?"

"I know I passed. I was out the class before time was up."

"Ooh, smart and sexy, I love it."

"Ashley, stop." I reply.

"I think my phone is getting hot over here from you blushing." She laughs and that raspy voice of hers makes me wish that she was here right now so I can hear it up close and personal.

"So, I hope you enjoyed everything last night…and this morning." I know she's smirking a bit at her own acknowledgment. "Cause it only goes up from here."

"Really? How so?"

"I'm trying to make you mine after Saturday. I know you're a bit traditional, Spence. So, I'm hoping that the third date's the charm. What do ya say?" I look at the picture in my hand and then look at the lighter on Madison's desk. Another song starts to play.

_"We touch I feel a rush, we clutch it isn't much,_

_But it's enough to make me wonder what's in store for us._

_It's lust, it's torturous. You must be a sorceress cause you just_

_Did the impossible; gained my trust." _

"In what way do you want me to be yours, Ashley?" I ask quizzically. I hold the phone in the crook of my neck and make sure the lighter works; looking at the picture one final time.

"Isn't it obvious, 'baby blue'?" She replies in that sexy voice of hers. "In every way, I want you. It's not just what you think it is."

_"Don't play games, it'll be dangerous._

_If you fuck me over cause if I get burnt I'ma show what it's like to hurt._

_Cause I been treated like dirt before ya and love is evil,_

_Spell it backwards, I'll show ya."_

I snap out of my thoughts to hear Ashley speak again. "…So, how bout it, Spencer, would you like to go on another date with me?"

"I'll have to check my schedule." I say sarcastically.

"Well, you should clear your entire schedule then because you're gonna be busy with me." I smile at her brazenness. "I'll let you check your schedule though. Just hit me up later. I know you're probably still tired from our night together."

I giggle. "Can you sound anymore sexual right now?"

"I can, but I don't want to melt off your modesty just yet."

"Thanks for the consideration."

She falls silent. "You can trust me though, Spencer. I meant what I said last night."

"I know…it just takes time, Ash."

"I got time…just don't keep me waiting too long."

I open the window and after taking a deep breath, I light up the picture and watch the flames consume it. "I won't." I state, feeling like some weight has been lifted off my shoulders. "I would love to go on another date with you."

"Perfect." Ashley replies excitedly. "I'll call you later. I'm about to go see my dad at his studio, he needs some help with the songwriting."

"Ok, talk to you later then." I see the last of the burnt paper drift off into the wind. I hang up and wipe my hands clean from my little cleansing ritual.

I cut Madison's music off thinking she must've gone up to my brother's room by now. I lay on my bed and before I know it, I'm quickly falling asleep again. My thoughts are becoming a little bit clearer now just like the night skies of last night. I feel another dream coming on, this one more vivid from experience.

* * *

**I'm done. Yes! A little shorter than usual, I know. I'll make it up on the next chap. I would've put this up earlier in the day but I got called into work and I was reading new chapters on the 'One Hot Nerd' and 'Degrees of Separation' stories.**

**If you haven't read them, lemme just say that they go hard. Yes, I'm shouting them out on my own story, I'm not hatin. I hope to be on their level some day. Reviews are appreciated, my fanfictioners. So, until next time, then. Take care! Happy '****Independence****' Day! *rolls eyes* ^-^**

**Ladytink2011: *Takes a puff of a cigarette* I'm glad it did it for you. *starts coughing cuz I don't smoke* lol! I did the exact opposite of what you wanted from me, but I'm pretty sure you won't mind much. Thanks for loving my fanfic. :) **

**Elly1212: Hmm, I don't know if you ever did until now, Elly. But, thank you for your review. I see you review other stories that I'm into. Some very good ones, so it's an honor to have you review mines. :) Yea, the line you quoted was a last-minute adjustment on my part. Lol!**

**Irishgrl33: Thanks for the 'aww'. Lol! Yea, I figured outta the two of them, Ashley would be the more respectable player…if that makes any sense. Haha!**

**Degrassi1son: Another one for Kyla's POV. So sorry. :\ I think it's gonna be a battle for everyone to resist temptation, not just Ashley.**

**TheMixMedia: Wow! That's pretty cool. I've heard of the Suicide Girl thing, but don't know much about it. I'll have to research. Did I really leave it on a cliffy? Hmm…I'll have to fix that on the next chap.**

**Momo0424: You're hyping me up, you know that? Saying it's getting better each time. Smh. Pressure! Lol! That song is stuck on my phone, I don't think I'll ever take it off. **

**Ryoko05: Lmao! Thank you soooo very much. :)**

**Songs used: New Workout Plan by Kanye West; First Date Sex by Trey Songz; Space Bound by Eminem feat. Steve McEwan (A/N: Love this effin song to death!)**


	17. Save Tonight

**So..I'm really pissed at the moment, my fellow readers. I was trying to change the lyrics to Eminem's Space Bound cuz a few words were missing. I added the few missing words on the document manager and then replaced the 16th chapter again. Unbeknownst to me, I replaced the 15th chapter instead. Unfortunately, I don't have another copy of the 15th chapter, I have to write it over again. I hope that I can remember most of what was in that chapter, thanks to somebody quoting my lines in a review. I'm not gonna name no names. *cough, Shain, cough* :) . Any ways, I will have that problem fixed as soon as possible.**

**Moving right along, I had fun writing this chapter cause I just went silly with it. I can see something like this going down. I'll answer the reviews that I didn't answer by PM the end of the chapter. Thanks for staying loyal, I luv it. *big kool-aid grin* Oh yeah! Lol!**

**Disclaimer: I'm the owner of a yellow swiss ball, a bunch of $5 sunglasses as well as some fitteds, but not the owner of SON or the songs used. **

* * *

Kyla's POV

"Oww! Dammit, Glen, you hit me in my eye!" I said rubbing my left pupil. Thank goodness it's not drenched in butter. "For a basketball player, you got lousy aim."

"Well, you shouldn't have this dense-ass kettle corn. You should've got some Orville Redenbacher." I throw a kernel and it hits him in the nose. "Hey!"

It's a Saturday night and where am I? With Glen, tossing popcorn towards each other to catch it. Why aren't we out? Because both of us are broke as well as lazy. I didn't wanna get dressed and he didn't wanna go all the way back to school. So, here we are, bored as bricks.

"And you should bring your own shit next time instead of eating up all of mine." I flip through the channels; finding nothing on. If I see another Real Chance of Love rerun, I'm gonna kill the producers at Vh1. "Aim for my mouth this time." I open my mouth up for another popcorn shot.

"I always do." He smirks. Ew, ew, ew!

"Do you have to sound like such a whore?" I start eating from my own bowl. "Oh, that's right, you slept with Spencer's roommate. That shows 'whore qualities'." I grin and he gives me the finger.

"So, Spence did tell you…yea, that was a bit on the whorish side, but I'm done with that. She was being a little rough." He says uncomfortably. "That and my sister walking in doesn't help."

"Aww, she was being rough? Maybe she was trying to de-gay you." I shrug, I see him shoot me a dirty glare from the corner of my eye. I stop channel surfing when it lands on a Mike Epps stand-up. Sweet, it just started. "Maybe she ran out of snap-back." I laugh to myself.

"She doesn't need to de-gay me, no girl does. I'm perfectly fine with being a switch-hitter." He becomes lost in thought. "What the hell is 'snap-back' anyways?"

I look at him in shock. "Glen, you don't know what 'snap-back' is?" He shakes his head. "You know.." Blank stare, I roll my eyes and sing the jingle. "Snap that pussy back! Whoo-psshh!" He raises an eyebrow. "Just watch the tv." I state in annoyance. I can't believe he doesn't know what I'm talking about. I bet Carmen and Keys does.

My thoughts keep wondering around. I wonder what Carmen is doing. I haven't really spoken to her one on one since she was over here after the party; it's like she's afraid to come over or something while Ashley is around. I thought we got over this.

"Whatever." Another few minutes passes by us. Can you be entertained; yet bored at the same time? My thoughts keep wondering around. I wonder what Carmen is doing, I haven't really spoken or been alone with her since she was over here after the party. Ashley always seems to be around. "So, have you and Carmen..uhh?"

"Have me and Carmen what?" How did he know I was thinking of her? Can he read minds? He moves his hands around like that's supposed to help me understand him better. "Glen, I don't speak jazz hands and spirit fingers. Spit it out!"

"Did you and Carmen screw yet?" He yells. I immediately throw a pillow at him like I was pitching for the Orioles. "What was that for?"

"Cause you're an idiot, that's why." I snap back in a hushed tone, I glance upstairs to the open door. "Ashley might hear you." She and Spencer have been upstairs in their own little world for most of the night, they're suppose to be leaving soon for their 3rd date. They should just skip it and claim each other, that's how they've been acting anyways like they're already together. I kinda envy that. Ok, I envy that a lot.

"Pfft! She's not your mom, Kyla. Who cares if you and your sister's best friend are scissoring each other?" He pantomimes the sex act with his index and middle fingers. Gross. Not the idea cause that has ran through my mind, just him demonstrating it.

"Glen, put your hands in your pockets and shut up." I order him, he just pouts. Ashley and Spencer come downstairs with genuine happiness on both their faces. I haven't seen real happiness on my sister's face. It's like she's another person with Spencer. I look over to Glen who's watching them with a satisifed expression. They say quick goodbyes to us and rush out the door. That was rude.

"So..you think your sister gonna tap my sister's ass tonight?" He asks nonchalantly. What is with this kid?

"Glen, how could you say that about your own blood?"

"Listen, I'm not saying she needs it, but…you know what? I am saying she needs it." He nods his head. "Yea, she needs to get laid."

"How do you know?"

"Because Spencer is the opposite of me. She'll wait for the right one. I'm thinking your sister could be Ms. Right. If not, then at least Ms. Right Now."

Now, I'm being nosey. "How long has it been since she's been intimate with a girl?"

"Kyla, how can you ask that about my own blood?" He mocks me. We both start laughing.

"You're the one that brought it up. So, now I'm curious." He holds up two fingers. "Two months?" That's not long.

"No. Two years."

"Two years?" My mouth drops. "Wow!"

"I told you she was the opposite of me." He chuckles. "I warned her about going so long without sex." He winks at me. "Skin can grow back, you know." I shake my head at him. That's an urban legend…right? I start counting the months in my head on how long it's been for me.

"Yea, well, gentleness runs in the family. She won't have anything to worry about." I joke back.

"Is that how you were with Carmen the other night? You took it gentle with her?" I sigh at his persistence, he sits closer to me. "Oh, come on, spill. Ya'll left as soon as ya'll were done playing tonsil hockey on the dance floor, something had to happen."

"You just wanna hear the juicy details. I'm not stupid." Ooh, juicy. I'm so missing her lips right now.

"Keys think ya'll didn't do anything." He continues. "But, I think otherwise. I just wanna prove her wrong."

"Glen, you're not gonna be able to prove Keys wrong because all we did was kiss and that's it. We didn't even sleep in the same room."

"What? Total letdown, Woods. Why didn't you and her do anything?"

"We were tired." I lie.

"Yea, right. Too tired to get fingerlicked senseless? I'm not trying to hear that." He flags me off , he stares me down and then smiles. "You're not giving it up to her until your sister knows, huh?" That's it. He's a mind reader.

"That would be nice for her to know we're dating before we did anything, yes." I look away. "But, I'm not giving it up so soon for other reasons, also."

"Alright, I can understand that." He pats my back. "Make her wait. It's much more sweeter in the end."

"And you would know that how? What's the longest you waited for sex?"

He holds up another two fingers. "Two years?" I ask, guessing again.

"Ha! Are you insane?" He grins devilishly "Two weeks."

"Do you even remember your first time?" I shake my head.

"…I refuse to answer that."

"Uh-huh. Of course, you do" I cough out. "Whore."

He holds up his hand in protest. "I'm a slut, not a whore. I have standards like Ashley and Carmen."

"You've downgraded to whore now since you slept with Madison."

"Whatever, she doesn't count. I was horny and wasted after the club."

"What about the other times with her? Do those count?" I ask with a smug expression.

"…Touche, Kyla, touche."

"_All I do is win win win, no matter what._

_Got money on my mind, I can never get enough_

_And everytime I step up in the building, everybody hands go up…_

_And they stay there and they stay there (yeah)_

_And they stay there_

_Up down, up down, up down."_

I look over to Glen who lets the song play before answering it. Why do people do that? Just answer the damn phone already or hit the silence button. "Aren't you gonna answer that?" I throw the remote at him.

"Stop throwing objects at me." He catches it just in time and changes it to a movie channel. "You have the patience of a five year old, you know that? Made me miss the best part." He picks it up on speakerphone. "You're on with the illustrious Glen Carlin, what's the word?"

Lame-O. "You ain't HOT 97, bitch." I hear the person on the other line say. It's Keys. "That's the word." I bust out laughing, Glen chuckles himself. "I know you saw my name pop up on your wack-ass phone."

"My phone is not wack, alright? Kyla, tell her my phone is not wack." He says holding up his Sidekick LX. Hmm, he could upgrade to a touchscreen, G1 at the very least.

"Umm-"

"Oooh, Ky-Ky is there with you?" She clears her throat and puts on her sexy voice..or what she thinks is sexy. "What up, shawty?" See? Her Southern drawl does nothing for me. Not like Carmen's accent, almost New Yorker like. Why hasn't she called me at all today?

"Hey, Keys." I call out. "How did you know you were on speakerphone?"

"Cause I can hear an echo of myself. I know the tricks. Girls try to pull a fast one on me with that in the past. But, anyways, what ya'll doin?"

"Nothin." Glen and I say in unison. "Watching tv." He adds. Correction, he's now watching tv.

"Glen, The Covenant. Seriously?" I shake my head.

"The Covenant? What's that?" Keys ask. We hear loud rock music and tattooing machines going off on her end.

"It's like The Craft, but with hot guys and horrible acting." I reply dully.

"Sounds uninteresting."

"Yea-So, is Carmen with you right now?" I know. So subtle how I brought her up, right?

"Yea, she's here." She answers plainly.

"Well, can you ask her why she hasn't called me at all today?"

"Um, yea, you know what? I can answer that for you. Because I'm putting her ass to work. No cell phones when you have a customer."

"So, what are you doing then?"

"Giving my dude, Nasir a masterpiece on his back." What? That's not fair.

"Why are you able to talk on the phone then and she's not?" I whine.

"Uhh, maybe because I got in my bluetooth and I run this, man." She replies in a Chris Tucker impression. "I can do whatever the hell I want. Fuck my own rules when it comes to me." She laughs maniacally.

I suck my teeth. "Whatever, Marquita."

"Aww, you miss that sweet Cubana ass of hers? She misses you too, 'hadita'." Keys says sarcastically. I hear a muffled voice in the background.

"Don't call me that." I tell her seriously.

"I know. Only she gets to call you that. I got the evil eye stare from her just now. You think it would piss her off if I ask what kind of panties you got on?" I hear more of the muffled voice in the background and the word 'cabrona' being thrown out. "She's cursing at me in Spanish now. Oh, this is too easy."

"Keys, stop, so she doesn't get distracted." I say giggling a bit. She's a mess.

"Alright, alright. Well, if ya'll aren't doing anything tonight. Do ya'll just wanna chill with us?"

"Yea, that sounds good. Ashley just left with Spencer not too long ago." Glen answers. "Ya'll should come over here. We got the place to ourselves." Why the hell is he using 'we'?

"Excuse me, you don't live here." I point out.

"I should be since our sisters are dating. Before you know it, we'll be the maids of honor." Glen states humorously. How gay is he?

"And me and Carmen we'll be the best men." Keys joins in with his humor. "Come on, Ashley won't mind if we chill over there."

"I know…it's just that-"

"It's just that you wanted to spend some alone time with Chi Chi. I feel you." Keys finishes my sentence for me. "Listen, we won't stop ya'll if you wanna go upstairs…besides if ya'll do anything, I wanna listen."

"I rather watch." Glen chimes in and bobs his head. Quagmire style. Dick.

"Glen, you're asking for too much." Keys retorts. "If you're gonna watch, the only thing you need to do is have a notebook to take pointers in cause my girl, Carm is one of the best at what she does."

I'm slightly aroused at what Keys just said about Carmen, then get slightly jealous cause she knows from experience. Damn these contradicting feelings. "Ok, fine, ya'll can come over, but just a small get together, alright?"

"Does that mean I can bring a few people over?" Keys asks excitedly. "Drinks, too?"

"Yes." I say giving up. It is boring over here.

"Bet! I gotta go. We have a couple more customers and then, we're closing up. We'll be there soon."

"Make sure you bring some cute girls over." Glen adds. "Preferably ones that like guys more."

"What? Like you?" Glen snorts. "I'm playing with you, G.C. I'll have some lookers with me tonight."

"Cool!" Glen exclaims. "Pick up some Natty Ice, too."

"I'm not picking up that bullshit." She laughs and then Click! Banged on.

"Natty Ice is not bullshit." He mutters under his breath. "She doesn't know what she's missing."

I walk upstairs. "I'm gonna go change into something more comfortable." He looks at my sweatpants and oversized t-shirt and gives me an unconvinced expression. "Fine, I'm gonna find something that I can lounge around in while still look hot."

"There we go! That's my girl!" He claps as I shut my door. I'll show Carmen what she's missing when she doesn't come over.

An hour & a half later

After Glen and I rack the cabinets to see what supplies we have; which was 3 packs of Ramen's noodles, some Oreo cookies, a 2liter Pepsi and a bunch of cranberry & orange juice; we decided to just order some Pizza Hut.

"Did Keys hit you back up yet?" I call out to him from upstairs. I'm picking out some movies to watch now; just in case the conversation gets boring

"Yea, she says she's on her way, but Carmen should be here first. The pizzas are here though." I furrow my eyebrows a little. She didn't even tell me she was on her way here. What's her deal?

I search for my phone and dial her number. I know what Keys said, but I kinda feel like Carmen's avoiding talking to me. We never did set any ground rules of what we are. I mean, we want each other, we have each other, but the person closest to us doesn't even know. She never said that she was gonna be my girlfriend or if we would tell Ashley or not. I'm getting doubts now about this whole thing, what if I'm just some big risk to her, or worse, a challenge.

_"All you gotta do is say yes._

_Don't deny what you feel_

_Let me undress you, babe._

_Open up your mind and just rest. _

_I'm about to let you know,_

_You make me so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so."_

"What the hell?" Ok, now I'm confused. Where is that music coming from?

"Good evening, hadita." I hear the voice that I've wanted to hear all day. I turn around and she's leaning on the entrance of my door. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She half-smiles.

I press end on my phone and walk up to her. "How did you get in here?" Great. The first thing that comes out of my mouth is wondering how she got past Glen, my guardman? What an idiot! I shake my head. "I mean hi."

She pulls me into a hug and wraps her arms around me, which I immediately sink into. She smells like a mixture between an examination room & her own maple brown sugar scent. "You missed me?" She looks me in my eyes and smirks.

"If I said yes, would you think I'm sprung?" I quip.

"No, not at all. I would miss me too." She jokes back; she moves my hair away from the neck and inhales deeply. "I'm not gonna lie. I missed you…I've missed that aroma of yours." She kisses my neck lightly. "..And how soft your skin feels when I kiss it." I bite my lip cause it has been awhile since we had any contact. I know a week and a half isn't awhile, but it is to me and it is when it's her you want the contact from.

"Carmen, stop." I ordered, unwillingly I might add. She did as I commanded, but not before smirking at the effect she had on me with just two little gestures. "We haven't seen each other much this past week or so, you know that, right?"

"Yea, I do." She nods in agreement while her hands slide down to my ass. "which is why I'm making up for lost time." She squeezes it and I kinda jump in surprise. Why do her hands feel so good there? "You know, if I was a dude, I'd be rock solid right now." She chuckles.

Ugh, that broke me out of it. "Eww, I can't believe you just said that." I smack her hands away. "That was a mood killer."

"Oh, come on, I was joking. If you want to know how I really feel right now.." Carmen grabs my hand and lets it run down her stomach, stopping at her jeans. "I suggest you find out yourself." I lick my lips subconsciously. Oh, how I want to find out. Nope, she's not trapping me.

"Seriously, Carmen. I need to know what we're gonna do." I let my hand rest for a moment more on her lower stomach then push her away some. "What are we gonna tell Ashley? No, scratch that. When are we gonna tell Ashley?"

She looks a little uneasy. "Kyla.."

"No, don't 'Kyla' me. I want to know. I don't like keeping us a secret when we haven't even been on a date yet." I start to ramble, she rolls her eyes. "I mean you do want to actually date me, right?"

"Look, mami…this is all new to me. Liking a girl for who she is and whatnot; not just get in, get out, get gone."

"Relationships, you mean." I say it with a sardonic tone. "It's not a filthy word. You don't have to be afraid of saying it."

"I'm not.." She replies. "I want a..." She clears her throat. "relationship with you. I wanna try this out. In fact, I've been wanting you since you stepped foot in L.A. and that's real."

"Yea? Well..I've been wanting you since I was 14." I look in her eyes and a look of shock was plastered on it. "I knew you wouldn't find out, not with my sister always around and other things." I sigh. "It didn't stop me from having fantasies about you."

"Damn, really?" I give her a sad smile. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew I wasn't on your radar. Not for a girlfriend, not even for a hook-up. I thought over time ya'll would grow up and stop chasing girls, maybe then I would get a real chance to be with you, maybe then my sister wouldn't care so much about it."

"But..this is your real chance, Kyla. I want you." She says with a serious face. "I just need to figure out how we're gonna break this to Ashley. We'll tell her, alright? Soon."

"Do I have your word?"

She touches my face gingerly and leans in for a brief, but tender kiss. "Soon." She says again after a moment passes us. Fuck this.

"Ugh! That's not answering my question, Sanchez." I pass by her and her eyes immediately go to my ass, then focus quickly on my pissed off face.

"But, I-"

"I'll be downstairs." I reply cutting her off. Right before I skip down the steps, I hear a thud on my door which I'm guessing is her head hitting it.

"Shit! I know I'm not gonna get any chocha from her until A knows." She whispers to herself. Damn right you won't, Carmen.

"Hey, Keys just texted me and said she's comin down the street right now. She wants us to stand out front so she knows which house it is." Glen announces.

"Alright, cool." Carmen comes down the steps with a solemn expression. "I need some fresh air anyways." I walk out ahead of him.

"Woah!" He whistles. "If that's comfortable, then I should be naked with my tube socks still on." Ok, not the mental image I wanted. So what if I'm wearing black Joe Boxer shorts (Oh, you know how short those boxers are) and a loose White Stripes tee. "Are you wearing any underwear?"

"What you ask her, twink?" Carmen asks out of nowhere, she gets in between me and Glen. He looks down at her but quickly looks away when he sees the hardness in her face. "I know you wasn't just asking my girl if she was wearing underwear or not."

Her girl? Should I be turned on right now by how she's acting?

"No, no, Carm..I was just.." He pauses.

"Go on, think it out for a second." I stifle a laugh cause Carmen is still staring him down, waiting for an answer.

"Oh, look, there's Keys." Glen broadcasts, avoiding the question. Carmen flags him off. "…and some friends."

"Are you wearing any underwear?" Carmen asks me seductively. "Now, I'm curious." I give her a sly smile and walk off. "You're gonna leave me hanging?"

"I gotta leave some things to the imagination with you." I say over my shoulder.

We see Keys and 2 other people with her riding on skateboards; yes actual skateboards, not them razor swivelboard contraptions that I get my foot ran over by on campus every other day. Each of them are wearing green and a backpack, like they're some sort of crew. It looks like a uncut N.E.R.D. video.

_"I can't wait to get a ride to __California__ cause it makes sense to go to __California__._

_If __Hollywood__ is where it's at, let's go to __California__._

_Cause it makes sense to go to California_

_Can I get a ride? (No) Let's just (go) __L.A.__ (whoa) got no money, sure._

_If you was me, see, you would do the same thing you know._

_So, leave your bags at your mama's door."_

The tuneplays from Keys' built-in stereo backpack, I didn't know they still made those, wasn't there like only 100 made or something? She sings along while busting out a kickflip. I see the others follow her lead by doing a simple ollie. Yes, I know my tricks. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground was my game for quite awhile.

"Ladies, gents. Are you ready get this party started?" Keys shouts while kicking up her board. The guy and the girl that resemble each other follow suit.

"Uhh, what party? It's just us." I mention.

"And who are they?" Glen adds. He gives both of the strangers a once-over and I think I hear the red light click in his head.

"Oh no, no, no." Keys replies wagging her finger. "We brought our other friends. Bacardi, Grey Goose, & Steel Reserve. And a little something extra." She gives me a longer than normal hug. "You look good as shit tonight, Ky-Ky. I didn't know it was gonna be a slumber party."

"It's not, Marquita. At least not for you." Carmen states putting her arm around me and pushing her back a little.

"Meeeow!." She laughs holding her hands up. "And the kitty's claws comes out scratching. It didn't take you long to catch feelings." She winks at me. "Kyla, make sure she doesn't hurt me tonight, ok? Keep her busy."

I shake my head at her antics. "I'll do my best."

"So, who's your friends?" Glen cuts in. He flashes a grin at the girl first; hmm, she's looks good. Not as pretty as Carmen, but close.

"This is the lovely Zahra, one of my workers. Hot, isn't she?" Zahra waves at me and smiles back at Glen. "And that muscle bound wuss over there is cousin, Nasir."

"Come on, Keys. You can't hold that against me. The shading part hurt like hell." He gives me a headnod and lets his eyes linger on Glen. "How's it going?" I see Glen's head tilt in a curious fashion. What is he up to?

"That's Kyla, Carmen's boo." She says pointing to me. "So, don't try anything or she'll cut you." They both roll their eyes. "And that Cupid-looking muthafucka over there is Glen, he's nobody's bitch at the moment." They both look at each other and snicker a bit.

"Great, now, that introductions are over, let's go inside." Carmen suggests, leading the way as if she lives here. See? She can do that, not Glen. Zahra, and Nasir go in first.

"Ok, Keys, what's the scoop on the Arab hotties?" He asks once they are out of earshot.

I slap him in his gut. "Glen, you know how offensive that sounds?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm admiring the beauty that stems from their culture." He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Nice save, Glen." Keys laughs. "Well, you told me to bring some hotties over. That I did. You're welcome."

"Ok, so I'm guessing the girl is straight and the guy is gay." Glen taps his finger to his mouth. "Which one will I choose?"

"How bout the one that gives you the time of day?" I pat him on the back. Keys and I laugh while we walk into the house.

"Well if it's Nasir, I sure hope he's a top." We hear him mutter behind us.

"TMFI. Too much fuckin information, Glen." Keys replies mockingly. "Kyla, let me ask you something? Does smoke bother you?" She smirks.

"Um, no." I look at her suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just asking." She claps "Let's mix some drinks."

After about 6 cranberry vodkas, all the pizza eaten, half the Bacardi gone, and a couple of chug challenges between Keys, Glen, and Nasir (Glen not winning any of them), all of us are on Cloud 9. We're all sitting together watching Half-Baked, but everyone is paired up.

"Ooh, this my favorite part!" Glen yells, he gets up from the couch and gets into character.

"Get some sour cream and onion chips with some dip, man, some beef jerky, some peanut butter. Get some Haagen-Daz ice cream bars, a whole lot, make sure chocolate, gotta have chocolate, man. Some popcorn, red popcorn, graham crackers, graham crackers with marshmallows and the little chocolate bars and we can make s'mores, man. Also celery, grape jelly, Cap'n Crunch with the little crunch berries, pizzas. We need two big pizzas, man everything on 'em with water, whole lotta water, and Funyons..yea." I can't believe he quoted the whole grocery list.

Zahra starts laughing uncontrollably. "Looks like somebody has watched this way too many times." Keys nods her head in agreement and gets popped in it "Stop moving, sharmoota, you're gonna make me mess up." Keys is letting Zahra braid her hair for fun, which is good, except for the fact that Zahra is wasted and can't even make a straight part.

"You're already messing up cause you can't braid, Zahra. And on top of that, you're fucked up. I bet you got me looking like Ciely from The Color Purple." Keys folds her arms. "And stop calling me 'sharmoota', Nasir told me what it means."

"But, you are though." Nasir blurts out and laughs.

"Whatever, bitch, you the one with all dem dildos up in the house and shit." She snaps back, waving her hands in the air." Whoa, whoa, what? What's this talk about dildos?

"She got dildos in the house?" Zahra's voice shrieks in between giggles. "That bitch is crazy if she got all dem dildos in the house!" Oh, now, I remember that joke. These people are trippin, Glen just looks confused as always.

"Ok, that's it, no more quoting. Everybody give up the drinks. You're done for tonight." I stumble out of my seat and trip, but Carmen catches me before I fall. "Thanks, mamita." I say in a ridiculous Spanish accent. I start giggling.

"No problem." She throws me a lop-sided smile, her eyes are red, probably not as bloodshot as mine. That Steel Reserve-made Brass Monkey has my equilbrium way off. "Why don't you sit tight while I'll get you some water." Aw, she's looking after me. How...caring of her.

"Ok." I smile sweetly. As messed up as she looks right now, in my eyes, she looks so fucking good. I wish all these people would leave now. She comes back with my water and snuggles up against me.

"Mm, I could get used to this, you know." She murmurs in my ear.

"What?"

"Holding you." She pushes us closer to me. "Rubbing up against you."

"Excuse me." Nasir tenor/slightly effeminate voice cuts through our boo-love bubble. "Carmen, can you please stop dry-humping your girlfriend in front of us? You're gonna make me toss up the pizza." He crosses his legs at the end of his sentence, Glen shoots him a weird look..I guess he's not that much of a top in his eyes now. Second thoughts, maybe?

"No, that Grey Goose & Pepsi is gonna make you toss it up." Zahra warns. "I swear, cuz. You can be so macho; yet such a.." She pauses trying to find the words.

"Campy gay guy." Keys aids nonchalantly.

"Yes! Thank you!" Zahra exclaims; he curses at her in Arabic. "Love you too, Nasir." She sneers.

"Alright, I think everybody should mellow out now." Keys proposes. "Let's play a game."

"No truth or dare." Zahra says quickly.

"Aww, why not?" Glen sulks. He probably had some ideas already brewing.

"Because she" pointing at Keys "is not gonna have me doing some lezzie shit with her on the sake of a dare." She states acutely. "Sorry, I am not the one."

"Shit." Keys chuckles. "You know me in and out, huh? What makes you think I would do that?" We all look at her with a cynical expression. "Oh, yea..because I'm me."

"How bout we play 'I Never'?" Carmen speaks up. "Keys, we haven't played that in ages."

"What's 'I Never'?" Glen asks.

"Someone says something they never done and if you have done it, you gotta take a shot of liquor." Nasir explains. "Basically, the loser is the winner in the game since they'll be the most faded."

"Cool, let's play. We'll go clockwise."

"Not so fast." I say, sobering up again. Jeez, I sound like my mother. "We just got done knocking back drinks. Can't we use juice or something?" I have everyone staring at me like I'm the party pooper for a moment, except for Carmen and Keys.

"Kyla, I'm gonna save you from this moment of you acting all mother-superior cause it must be a family trait." I see Carmen nod her head in agreement. She reaches in her bag and pulls out a tall vase-looking thing with hoses. Is that what I think it is? "You remember that something extra I was telling you about? Well, this is it."

"Is..is that a hookah?" Glen's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas. "Oh my god, Keys, I love you." He staggers over to hug her. "It's been so long."

"Easy, my brother from a White mother, breeder moment is over." She hugs the hookah. "Don't knock over my prized possession." She winks at Zahra who in turn rolls her eyes. "My baby mama got it for me as a present last week."

"I'm not your-" Zahra starts to protests.

"Just spark the kush up, please." Keys orders cutting her off. "Don't forget the orange peels and mint leaves." She turns to me. "Makes it smell and taste better. We're gonna play the game by smoking instead of drinking."

I start to get worried now. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Yea, Keys. Ashley might flip if she smells that shit in her house." Carmen backs me up. I smize at her so Keys won't say anything about her being on my side.

"Then, light some incense."

"We ran out. I used the last of it." I deadpan.

"I got some candles." Nasir adds, he goes into his bag and pulls out a few purple and white candles. "Which one should I light? Lavender or Vanilla Bean?"

We all stop and look at one another puzzled, then bust out laughing at him. "Let me ask you something, Nas. Can you actually pull off being straight in front of your parents cause that right there would've set off the alarm bells." Keys admits, he glares at all of us. "Don't answer that." Needless to say, he lights the lavender ones.

"Alright, now that the room smells like Bath &Body works, let's start." Zahra declares. "Glen, you start. We take a hit if it's something we did."

"Ok, let me think.." He ponders for a couple of moments.

"Hurry up!" Keys yells impatiently.

"No, let him take his time, Keys." Carmen insists "His list of things that he's never done may be a short one." I start giggling, he rolls his eyes.

"Ooh, I got it." We wait for his answer. "I never been skinny dipping." Hmm, that's surprising. All of us take a hit. Whoo! This is some strong shit. I've only tried marijuana once, but it was not on this level. It was some ol' huckabee weed that had no cool name. This tastes kinda good.

"Don't get addicted to it, hadita." Carmen smirks. "I don't wanna date a pothead. I like my girl to be above the influence, unless I am the influence." She's gotta way with words, doesn't she?

"Carmen, you're next." Glen tells her.

"Ok…I never wanted to fuck any of my friends mothers." She glances at Keys, who grins and takes a hit, along with Glen. "Unlike some bitches in here."

"Hey, your mom is a hot tamale, Chi Chi. It's a gift." She shrugs. "I can't help it." She looks at me. "Kyla?"

"Ok, umm…" Think, Kyla, think. What would stump most of them? "I never had sex outdoors." Keys, Carmen, Nasir, and Glen take a hit.

"Whores." Zahra gestures with her hands humorously. "I'm surounded by whores." Now, it's her turn. "Hmm..I never stripped for money." She looks around and there's a long moment before both Keys and Nasir toke it up. The rest of erupt in gasps and 'no way!'s.

"Spill." Glen orders Nasir. I'm wondering about Keys' story more

"Nothing to spill, man. I'm a gogo boy, it's what I do." He replies blasé. I see Glen eye him down in a perverted way. Guess he's having..erm…third thoughts now.

"Boo!" I hear Carmen say. "Marquita, why did you strip for money?" She asks like a talk show host.

"Alright, listen, long story short." She sighs. "My brother set me up with a gig without informing what it was about. I thought I was working security and come to find out, it was a bachelorette party. I only went topless. Luckily, the straight girls liked it." She glances at Zahra. "My turn…I never had sex with a guy. Boom! Take that, dick-lovers!" She looks at everyone, except Carmen and they both raise their glasses up in understanding. That was too easy. I start to feel dizzy. I'm getting way too lifted now and this game just started. This is the pro leagues, I'm just an amateur.

Nasir scoffs. "You don't know what you're missin, honey." Carmen and Keys make vomiting sounds. "I'm just saying….umm, shit what haven't I done?" He says to himself. "I know! I never slept with anyone that was married." We all look at each other and we see Keys take a small puff. "Damn! Really, Keys?"

"Hey, don't judge me, ok? I didn't know she was married until after we had sex and I saw the pictures of them. It was dark when we came in." She rambles off. She hits the hose two more times and shakes her head. It gets silent again until Glen speaks up.

"I never had sex with a tranny." We all stare at Glen for such an off the wall declaration. "What?"

"Well, nice fucking job, twink. I had an inkling that you might have." Carmen wisecracks. "Has anyone?" Everybody nods their head in a mocking manner.

"Well, that's comforting." I add. I'm glad I don't have to toke to that.

"It was also an 'I Never' wasted, you gotta pick something better, Carlin."

"You got something better, Sanchez?" He challenges.

"Actually, I do." She looks around at all of us with a smug expresion, but drops it when she stops at me. "Umm..nevermind."

"No, no. I wanna hear it. Try to stump the majority of us with what you were about to say." Glen pushes her some more.

I see her jaw clench up for a second and then release. She glances over at me before speaking. "I…I've never been in love." She looks down and everyone, including Keys takes a puff. On one level, I can believe it; yet on another level, I can't. Everyone by now has been in love or at least felt like they're falling in love.

"Whoa.." Nasir whistles. "That was a good one."

I stand up and everyone looks at me, "I'm sorry, guys." I tell the group. I see Keys gives Carmen a look and Carmen appears a little uncomfortable now. "I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I'm gonna lay down for awhile." I walk upstairs, still a little wobbly. Yet again, Carmen Sanchez is here to save me.

"Here, let me help you into bed."

"Aww, no more tokin'." Glen mopes.

"Glen, we can still toke." I hear Keys say. "Let's just watch another movie. One we can't quote." It gets silent for a minute. "Screw it, they're upstairs now, pop in the How High movie, that's my shit."

The door closes behind me and Carmen is leaning on it. I sit on my bed and I stare at her. I'm thinking that she feels ashamed in a way that I know, but she shouldn't cause that's just the way things happen. You can't control someone's feelings.

"Umm.." She gives me a quick glance and her gray eyes look unreadable. "I guess you don't wanna talk to me right now, so I'll just-" She turns around to leave.

"Don't, Carmen." She turns back and I pat my bed. "Sit down with me." She's hesitant at first, but then quickly comes over. Silence again.

"I'm sorry-"

"I get it-"

"Sorry." We both say simultaneously and then giggle a bit. It becomes silent again.

"Man, that was some kick-ass herb. I'm not gonna smoke with Keys again. Peer pressure is crazy, you know." Carmen rambles on. I kiss her cheek so she'll stop. She leans in to it, then puts on a sad smile. "You sure you wanna kiss a girl who doesn't know what love is?"

"Are you trying to make me break up with you before we even become girlfriends?" I question her.

"No!" Carmen locks eyes with me and then groans. "I'm not good with this, ok? The relationship thing. I haven't had much practice with it."

"I can see that. At least, you're admitting it to me." She clenches her jaw again. "But, Carmen, I already know this about you. Yes, it was a bit shocking to hear that you've never been in love; yet, I should've known. I'm not asking for your heart-"

"But you are…" She cuts me off. I guess this is bothering her more than I thought. She holds my hand and makes circles in my palms. "You want to be in a relationship with me which means one day; you would want us to be in love with each other. It's easy for you, Kyla. You know how it feels. I don't."

"That's because you haven't experienced yet. When you do, you just automatically know." I let my other hand rest on her cheek, she feels warmer than usual. "Are you scared? To be in love, I mean?"

"Un poco." I wrap my arms around and hug her cause I feel like she needs it. I never seen her this vulnerable before. Is this what alcohol & kush does to you when you consume both? "Love changes you, Kyla. I've seen it first hand."

"With my sister?"

She shakes her head. "With my mother. Yea, it can start out good, but after awhile the situation can change, people can change and everything goes to shit."

"Well, we're not your mother or my sister. We're us. It may or may not end the same way, but take a risk with me." She looks down again, but I pick her chin up to focus on what I'm relaying to her. "I care enough about you to understand if you're not ready for any of this. I can wait."

She bites her lip and then swiftly leans in to capture my lips with her own. "I don't want you to wait. You've waited since we were young." Another kiss, this time I kiss back. "I wanna see what we can be." Another kiss is planted on my lips, this time longer. I adjust myself, so I can enjoy it better. "I care enough about you to let you know that this isn't gonna be easy, but I'm willing to try." She smiles confidently, I smile back.

"Thanks for the heads-up." We kiss again to seal our little contract. "You know I've been thinking about kissing you all day." I reveal, she raises a questioning eyebrow at me.

"Just today? For me, it's been the whole week." Aww! "You know how hard it is to be next to you and cannot do anything because your sister is there?"

"Well, that's why we should tell her, so we don't have to. Right?" I nudge her, she nods her head.

"Uh-huh. What if she cuts my right tit off or something?" That..that was a sudden thought, a strange one at that.

"Well, you'll be my little Amazon warrior princess." I joke, she doesn't look amused. "Carmen, she won't." I let my fingers slide down the middle of her chest. "Besides, I'm gonna need them for later."

She smirks a bit and crawls on top of me. "You might need them right now." She replies in a low voice. I look up at her and her gray eyes have now become dark granite. "You ready to go to bed?" What? Go to bed? Now?

"Umm.." Is that a trick question? She instantly gets up and slowly undresses in front of me. She's left with a deep orange bra with matching boy shorts. I'm more of a thong woman myself, but on her, it's perfection. I'm not gonna go into detail as to why; let's just say it's plump in the front, if you know what I mean. I let my eyes hang on to the parts that are still covered. "You what like you see, Kyla?"

I gulp. Fuck yea, I do! "Yea…that's a nice color on you." She crawls back on to me and kisses me passionately, but before I can get into it, she pulls back again.

"Hold up, I'm down to my undies and all you can say is 'that's a nice color on you'. I'm out." She playfully gets up, but I pull her back down forcefully. "Ooh, I knew you had that control in you."

"Enough talking." I command. She looks surprised, hell I'm surprised. I kiss her, slipping my tongue in her mouth in the process. She's pushing my buttons now. I'm not this forward this early in the game with someone, but Carmen just does something to me. She takes the hint and starts to swirl her tongue with mines like some forbidden dance. The myth crosses through my mind about lesbians being good kissers being good at other things. She moves down to my neck and starts sucking on my pulsepoint, I feel her tongue flick back and forth on my skin, causing a sensation that I've only felt with myself since I've been here.

"Mmm, what are you doing?" I breathe out. Oh my god, I did not mean to sound so helpless.

She laughs on my neck and it tickles. "What you think I'm doing, hadita? I'm marking my territory. You're mine." What?

"You gave me a hickey?" I ask her in semi-disgust. The last hickey I received looked like I was beaten. Not cute at all.

"I prefer passion mark and relax, I didn't make it big. Nobody will be able to see it. Just me." She gets on her knees and puts her hair up in a ponytail. "Hair can get in the way sometimes."

Ain't that the truth! I decide I should put my hair up too, except she stops me before I do. "No, leave yours out." Carmen flashes me a grin. "I like your hair when it's out, but umm.. " She raises me up and takes my shirt clear off. "You won't need this."

"Ok.." I state nervously. That's all I can say. Carmen lays back down on me and we do our tongue dance again, this time her hands are traveling up and down my body; my arms, my thighs, my ass. I let out an audible gasp when she runs it over my breast. My hands clutch at her back and I'm so close to un-strapping her bra; yet I'm hesitating. Why am I hesitating?

"It's ok, Kyla." She assures me. "I don't mind if you tell me how much you like it." I stare at her boldness and all I see is want for me in her eyes. It's a hell of a feeling. "Do you wanna know how much I like it, being here with you?" Carmen doesn't wait for me to answer; she takes my hand and guides it down to her panties. When I make contact with the material, I realize that it's rather damp. I stare down to where my hand is at and then back at her. Am I really getting her that excited? "Me gusta tambien." I'm at a loss for words right now. Scratch the last 'hell of a feeling', the title has just been taken by this.

"Carmen, you can't use Spanish with me. That's gonna send me overboard." I admit to her. She chuckles and gives me a tender kiss. I keep my hand there and can't help to apply pressure to it; she does a little tender moan.

"Isn't that the plan, baby?" She takes my bra straps down and I see her eyes get darker if that's even possible at my bare chest. She begins to massage my right breast, then my left one, slowly, counterclockwise..I like counterclockwise. I let out a moan because her hands feel so smooth and skilled. "Damn, Kyla, you feel so fucking soft." She tugs on my nipple which makes me moan again in response. This is where my head and my body become at odds with each other. My mind is saying that I should stop right now before it gets out of hand while my lower region is saying fuck that, the show must go on. Decisions, decisions. Better make one quick. "Ay, hadita, dejame tocarte." She groans in my ear once I stop her hand from sliding down into my boxers.

"Carmen, We Need To Stop." I emphasize every word, not just for her but for me, too. My pussy is cursing me out right now and I see a look of sadness wash over her face. I'm pretty sure she's a bit pissed that I stopped her. I bet no girl has stopped her, but I have good reason. "I'm sorry-" I say feeling guilty. I also feel a bit frustrated. Okay, hormones, I understand, ya'll are mad.

Her face softens and she touches mine. "Don't apologize. I understand. I was moving too quickly. I can take my time if you want. Just let me know, Kyla."

I shake my head, embarrassed to tell her the real reason. "It's not that. Your speed is fine. It's just.."

She kisses me. "It's just what?"

I run my fingers through my hair and heave out a sigh. "Remember when I said you'd be amazed at what I've done with a girl?"

"Yea, I remember." She smiles slightly. "Do you think I'll see you as a slut or something cause you're preaching to the choir here."

"No, I don't. I think you'll see me as a newbie." She gives me a perplexed look. No turning back now. "I never had sex with a girl before. Kissing, yes. Top action, yea. But, never all the way." I feel my face heat up by my revelation.

The look she has on her face is priceless. It's a mix of amazement and humor, but I know she's also shocked. "So, you're telling me that Kyla Woods has never touched, never tasted a woman's essence?" She starts snickering which earns her a glare from me. "Wow, you had me going, I'll admit it."

"It's not funny, Carmen." I hit her in the arm hard and she stops the laughter.

"I apologize, Kyla." She pushes both of us down on the bed and wraps her arms around me, it's comforting. "Why haven't you?"

I shrug my shoulders and notice she's holding me closer. "Because none of the girls I never really cared about and all of them was scared to go all the way."

"So, they were psych-a-dykes?"

I laugh a bit at the term. "Yea, I guess." I pause for a second. "I'm assuming by your reaction this doesn't change much of anything." I turn around to face her. "In fact, you probably wanna break me in."

"Hmm, you're right. It's a turn-on actually." She starts kissing me again and grabs my backside, damn Keys was right. I need for her to stop, otherwise my body is gonna go into lockdown.

"Carmen.." I plead, but it comes out as a moan. I push her back some and she sighs.

"I know, I know. Stop." She locks eyes with me and I swear I can gaze into them forever. That sounds so ninth grade of me. "I would love to be your first, Kyla." She declares sincerely.

And I would love to be your last, Carmen. "I know." I kiss her again. "But, we have to tell Ashley before this gets any further."

She exhales heavily and nods her head in agreement. "Alright, we'll do that. Tomorrow."

I look at her stunned. "Seriously? Do I have your word?" I ask her again. Let's see if I'll get a definitive answer this time.

She caresses my face. "Te prometo." I don't need for her to translate, I got the gist. I smile and she sends me a toothy grin back. "Now…" She turns around and presses her back to my front. She has a soft butt. I should've grabbed it instead of her back when we were making out. "we should get some sleep because I'm pretty sure that I'm not gonna get any tonight and I know you're not wearing any underwear. I didn't see any panty lines."

We both start laughing and I peck her shoulder. "Good night, Carmen."

"Good night, hadita. You better hold on to me, so I don't try to escape in the morning." She huddles closer. "I'm playing…I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks for reassuring me."

"Anytime."

I fall asleep holding the girl that I've been longing for almost all of my teenage years. Knowing that I have her where I want her now, as long as she wants me to have her. Knowing that her never being in love and me never having been with a woman won't happen without the other. Knowing that tomorrow, the shit is gonna hit the fan.

* * *

**Alright, ppls. My apologies. Internet was messin' up and so, this is some hours (as in next day) late. Let me know if ya liked/disliked it with some good ol' reviews. Lol! Quick question: would you like for me to speed things up? Just wondering. This can't go on forever. *sigh***

**Sidenote: Are there any Twi-hard fans amongst my readers? Eclipse was so damn good that I saw it twice already. Also, if there are any Kevin Hart fans, his new stand-up is coming on Sunday night on Comedy Central. That is one funny little grown man. Until next time. Duces!**

**Ladiimouse: Yes, she burnt the pic. Yes, I know it's about time, but just because the pic is gone doesn't mean the person in it is…dun, dun, dun! Carmen has a pair, she doesn't want them ripped out by Ashley. I'm glad you 'so love' this story. Yay!**

**Nikyl: Thank you! :) Another new reviewer. Allriiiight, heh heh! You shall see more Carmen & Kyla. **

**Domino Lavendel: Thank you, thank you very much, my new reviewer. Interesting name, by the way. Lmao! I always thought ****Madison**** could be a dominatrix. I don't think Glen will mess with her anymore after that. **

**Ladytink2011: Thanks for not minding. Thanks for STILL loving my fanfic. Lol! It really means a lot to me. I'll keep the small updates on Carmen & Kyla in mind. **

**Nilegirl: Yeah, Emily does look like the type to think it through. This week's episode was good too; yet, I was mad that there wasn't any Maya/Emily interaction. Just a little bit; that and how she treated the guy at the restaurant. Anyways, thanks for your review.**

**Momo0424: Hmm, I wonder, do I use the word 'kid' a lot with you? I know I use 'ma' & 'mami' a lot, like I'm from ****New York**** or somethin'. I'll use more Philly slang, next time. Lol! I'm glad it's your favorite story right now. Spashley is too damn cute, those Caucasian mofos! I hope you liked this Kymen goodness. Thanks for another great review, Momo. :)**

**Sparkyleathers08: no worries. My Internet has been off for quite awhile, so I'm up loading most of my stuff from different sources. Yes I know you were part of the minority, LOL! Did you really think I had some Kymen in it? Oh well, cool. :) I hope you liked this chapter and that it was entertaining. Also, thanks for the bear hug. **

**Tellmeyoullstay: It's quite alright that you think Carmen and Kyla are cuter in my story. At least you're honest. Hope you liked the Kymen goodness in this chapter as well. :) **

**Pirate-x-Girls: Love the name. Another new reviewer, too? I'm just rackin' them in, aren't I? I thank you very much for what you wrote in your review. It made me smile and do a fist pump. Lol! I know what you mean about exams being done, but I still got work to do..besides this story, I mean. Hope you liked this chap. :)**

**Songs Used: All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled feat. Ludacris, Rick Ross & Snoop Dogg; Say Yes by Floetry; Ride To ****California**** by Paper Tongues**

**Translation: Sharmoota=Whore (If you want to say it for a guy, it's 'sharmoot'); dejame tocarte=Let me touch you.; te prometo=I promise you. :)**


	18. Sunday Showdown

**So, so, so sorry for the delay. I had a busy bday weekend (I got the same piercings as Carmen *grin*). That, and I lost my flash drive, so I had to type from where I left off on my hard drive file. Thank you so much for the reviews and I see more people are doing story/fav. story alerts on this. It makes me so happy ^_^ Now time to answer some reviews.**

**Doesitmeanjustice: I know, right? Out of these people, one of them had to be a virgin. I thought the best candidate was Kyla. Haha!**

**Sparkyleathers08: Thanks for liking the chap. I understand you were tired, so no worries. Hope ya like this one. :)**

**Domino Lavendel: Yes, Nasir is definitely a flamer! I needed to have someone like that in at least one chapter.**

**Ladiimouse: Thanks for your review. Yes, I try to make Keys as well as Glen the comic relief when there's an abundance of seriousness…hell, even when there's not. **

**Slushhy: Ah, the sound of a cracked whip on two hot asses. It's beautiful. Lol!**

**Elly1212: Smh. Elly, you're not the only one. Let's see if you got what you wanted. ;)**

**Lilce1992: A new reviewer. Whoo! I'm happy that you fell in love with my story. :)**

**KittyKat: Another new reviewer. Whoo! I UPDATED. PLEASE READ & REVIEW! Lol!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own SON or the songs used; but I do own 'one bed, no pillowcase, one pillow'. Lmao!**

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Carmen's POV

Have you ever woken up to a hot girl? Correction. Have you ever woken up to a hot girl wearing nothing but her panties? It's a sight to see, I'll tell you that much. I look at Kyla's sleeping frame and can't help but to smile. She murmurs in her sleep, it's adorable. Yes, I said adorable. I only use that word for babies; humans and animals alike. But, screw it, I'll break the rules for her.

I move some hair out of her face and I see the corners of her mouth twitch like fairy wings…damn, what's happening to me? I shake my head at my growing emotions as well as the sun shining on me. The stupid, bright-ass sun is giving me a reminder that it's tomorrow. I look up to the ceiling and let out a big sigh. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this. Why did I promise Kyla tomorrow? I don't make promises.

"I see that you're still here." I look and see Kyla smiling with her eyes closed.

I shoot her a smirk that she can't see. "How can you tell? You haven't opened your eyes."

"Hmm.." She moves closer and wraps her arms back around me. "Well, I sensed that you were still here then."

"You sensed it?"

"Yea." She opens her eyes and points her finger to my temple. "Any lesbian with enough sense wouldn't leave my bed when I'm half naked."

I chuckle. "You'd be surprised. I have left girls' beds before while they were butt-ass naked." It's true. There's been a number of times that I woke up to a soft body holding me; wishing that they would just get the hell off of me and go home. I escape when I can, too if I'm over their house. I've mastered the art of tip-toeing.

"So, why are you still here?"

I gaze at her for a moment. Her hopeful eyes are waiting for me to answer. "I'm here because I want to be, Kyla." I answer her honestly.

She gives me a toothy grin as she pulls me closer. "Right answer." I pull her chin up and give her a short kiss on the lips. Since you know how I feel about the holding, you should have an idea about how I feel about kissing as soon as you wake up. I know both of our breaths smell like weed, various alchohol and sleep.

"What would've been the wrong answer?"

"I wanted to see if I could have you for breakfast in bed, hadita." She replies doing a horrible mock version of me. I chuckle which makes my chest raise up. "Can you stop laughing? You're messing up my pillows."

"My tetas are your pillows?"

"Yea. A guy's chest is too hard." She lays a hand on my right breast and squeezes. "Nice and soft."

I smack Kyla's hand away, she giggles. "No toques. You might start something here." She moves it to my stomach instead and swirls her fingers around. It tickles a bit. "And don't talk about a guy's anything while you're in bed with me."

"Ooh, do I detect jealousy?" I roll my eyes. Whatever. I ain't jealous. A bit envious at the fact that a guy has been where I've been before and then some, but not jealous…wait is envy and jealousy pretty much the same thing? "Don't be. I only have eyes for you, Carmen." She kisses me on my cheek.

You better, Ms. Woods. "I know you do." I reply smoothly as I look at the passion mark I gave her. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and start rubbing it. "I was thinking…it's such a beautiful day today, maybe we can tell Ash about us at school..where there are witnesses.."

"Carmen." She warns. "Don't punk out on me. Not after last night."

"Punkin out? Who's punkin out?"

"Uh, it sounds like your butter pecan-ass is." She snaps back playfully.

"You've been hanging around me too much, baby. You're starting to talk like me."

"I guess you're rubbing off on me." She raises an eyebrow and do a quick glance at her exposed breasts.

"From what I remember of last night, I'm good at rubbing." I beam. She smacks my stomach. "I bet you're good at other activities, too." She gives me a look "When the time comes, of course."

"Of course...we're still telling her today. No matter what."

Damn. "Fine." I sigh out. We lay there for awhile before one of us speaks again. "We should get up now." Kyla announces.

"Yup." Neither of us make a move. We're both stalling..ok, I'm stalling but I know we are both comfy.

"Now would be good." She pushes me a little.

"I know." I push her back. We start having a pushing contest until I pin her under me. She's not pushing anymore. I stare into her twinkling brown eyes and I feel my chest flutter a bit. What is that? I think she sprinkled some fairy dust on me while I was sleeping cause she has me going throught some things right now. "Do you like me being on top?" I ask her.

She smirks. "I like to change it up." She manuevers so now I'm on the bottom. I can't say that I don't like the view. "Pilates can do wonders for your muscles."

"And your flexibility, I see." My hormones are rising again. I start to pull my straps down. "Where are my manners? You showed me some of your goodies and you haven't even got a peek of mine."

She stops me before I can continue. "Maybe we can hold that off for later, Carm." I pout and she plants another quick kiss on me. "I'm gonna have to wear a chastity belt around you."

"As long as it matches my piercings." I joke back.

She scans my body slowly. "What piercings?" She licks her lips. I raise up so I'm near eye level to her.

"Later..you'll see." I answer in a seductive tone. Yea, I'm a tease and no, I don't give a shit.

"Hey, Kyla. Why is Carmen's jeep-WHAT THE HELL?" That would be Ashley about to lose it after she sees what's in front of her in 3..2..1…"WHAT IN THE FUCK IS THIS?" Ashley yells. I see Kyla's face turn pale. I probably look like a ghost compared to her.

"Ashley.." Kyla starts.

"Shut up." She orders Kyla. "Don't you fucking talk." I see Kyla's face go from panic to sadness like that. I swiftly push her off of me so I can get up.

"A, please listen." I let out a heavy breath. "It's not what it looks like." I explain. Ok, even I don't believe me.

She scoffs and I see her nose flare up. "Not what it looks like?" She pushes me hard. What the hell is she doing? "Bitch, it looks like you're fucking my sister!" Ok, point taken seeing that our clothes are on the floor.

"I didn't even fuck her yet." I yell without thinking. I see Kyla smack her forehead Immediately, I regretted saying that. "Ok, that came out wrong."

"No, I think that was you finally being honest with me." She starts pacing the room. "How long has this been going on behind my back? Huh?"

"Ashley, please, just calm down, alright?"

She gets in my face again. "Fuck you, Sanchez. Any girl, any random girl in L.A., you could have for yourself and you choose Kyla? My own blood?" She eyes me up and down. "You're pathetic." Who does she think she's talking to?

Kyla reaches for her shirt to put on and gets in between us. "Ashley, stop. It's not her fault."

"You're right." Ashley stares her down. "It's yours, too."

"What?" Kyla says shocked.

"You're so naïve to fall for her tricks, Kyla." She sneers. "You think you have her locked down? Get real." She looks back at me in disgust. "She won't change for anybody, especially not for you. It's in her blood." She wanna bring up family, that's alright. I'm gonna be the bigger person.

"Hey! Don't talk to my girlfriend like that." Now, it's my turn to push her away. I slide Kyla behind me; she holds on to my shoulders.

"Oh, so, you're the protector now? You're the boss now? In my own house?" She folds her arms. "Your girlfriend, huh?" I think I just heard Ashley's blood boil and Kyla's heart pump faster from me claiming her. Did I just claim her? Oh, shit. "Since when?"

I look Ashley straight in the eye with a hint of a smirk. "Since now." I glance at Kyla's joyous face before I am met with Ashley's fist.

-BAM-

"Ow! Son of a bitch!" I stumble backwards at the impact, she must've done a wide swing. Lil rockstar Davies must have some bite to her bark cause I taste blood in my mouth and my jaw heat up.

"Jesus Christ! Ashley, what the hell is your problem?" Kyla exclaims. I see Ashley shaking her hand off; glad to see it hurts her, too. "Carmen, are you ok?"

I wipe the blood away and move my jaw around. "I'm fine." I assure her. I can still talk, which means my jaw isn't broken. Ashley looks stunned for a moment, then her look turns into cockiness. "That shit wasn't necessary, Ashley." I reply.

"What do you know?" She laughs bitterly. "You do feel pain." Is she serious right now? The whole time I've been worrying about how Ashley will take it and she acts like this. I wasn't expecting all this. She's not only talking reckless about me, but about her own sister as well.

"You know what? That's enough." Kyla orders Ashley. Ashley looks at Kyla like she's a child. Have you ever seen two pissed-off sisters? It's a sight to see…this time in a bad way. "Carmen is who I want, Ashley. You said you wouldn't interfere, remember? I sure as hell do."

"Kyla.." She says harshly; trying to control her anger. "This is different and you know why, she's my best friend." Ashley shakes her head. "I can't believe this." She looks between the two of us and then smirks. "You know what? I can. Cause you're the type that would do something like this, Carmen." That's it. Fuck being the bigger person.

"So, it's because I'm a player, right?" I step to her. "I use girls for one thing and that's it. I can't change even if I wanted to, right?" She gives me a look between anger, pity, and arrogance. "Well, I guess someone should warn Spencer about you cause it takes one to know one, puta." Mentioning Spencer sets her off.

Ashley tries to swing at me again, but I duck this time. Like I would actually wait for her to hit me. She forgot where I grew up at. My fist connects to her gut then her eye in a swift motion. She cries out in pain and falls down. That's right, I two-pieced my own best friend of 7 years. She started it though by throwing that sucker-punch first.

"Oh my God! Ashley!" Kyla hollers. She kneels down to her sister. Ask me if I feel bad…nope, not at this moment. Ask me later though, the answer might change.

Kyla shoots me a disapproving look. What would she want me to do? Have her sister hit me again? I'm no punk. Ashley doesn't answer Kyla, instead she quickly gets up and runs at me full speed. I go down with the wind knocked out of me and Ashley's arms are wailing. I grab her hair and try to kick her off, but she weighs more than I thought. So I use my elbow and hit her in the temple. Thank you, Ong Bak.

"You guys, stop! This is stupid!" Kyla screams. She tries to break it up, but I roll out the way before Ashley accidently hits her. I feel Ashley's knee strike me in my tummy. That fuckin hurt.

We roll another 2 times, grabbing each other's hair and scratching each other up before we're lifted off the ground. Keys and Zahra are holding us back like they're some bouncers at a club.

"What the fuck is goin on in here, ya'll?" Keys has Ashley in a Full Nelson while Zahra has her arms wrapped around me.

"Keys, let me go, dammit!" Ashley orders. Her face is turning redder and her eyes are dark. She looks like she wants to fight some more. Bring it on, Davies.

"You can forget it, A. Not until you've calmed down." Zahra isn't saying anything but she's got a good grip on me. I see Kyla look between the two of us and then run out the room.

"Would you be calm if your sister was getting turned out by your right-hand man?" She stares me down with revulsion when she say this. Well, tries to at least, since the eye I clocked her in is closing up.

"Ashley, give it a rest." Kyla says in exasperation. "I pursued her, ok? Not the other way around. I care about her, Ashley." It sounds like my hadita is about to cry and all I wanna do right now is tell her it will be alright.

"I don't give a shit who pursued who. This shit is not happening here." She states with certainty. "Kyla, all this here is a phase to her. It's a phase to you too, you'll see."

Everybody looks at each other what was just said. Kyla looks between the two of us and shakes her pretty little head. "Fuck all of this." She walks out the room. I see Keys do a quick peek at Kyla's bottom. Even during a tense situation, she can still be a pervert.

"Kyla, wait!" I call out. I try to go after her, forgetting that I'm being manhandled by Zahra. What do they put in that hummus? I fix my glare on Ashley. "Nice goin, A. You just told your sister that everything she feels is just some straight-girl crush."

"Because it is." Ashley snaps back. "You don't care about her."

"Zahra, can you release me please?" I ask calmly. She looks at Keys for confirmation. Keys nods her head and I'm free. I step up to Ashley making sure I'm far enough away that she can't kick me. I hope she doesn't pull a Pumpkin on me though. "If I didn't care about your sister, I wouldn't be fighting you right now. I wouldn't be standing up for her." I sigh and wipe off more blood from my busted lip. "I'm not gonna play her like Jonica did to you, A." She goes wide-eyed for me mentioning her name and then her face turns sinister.

"Hmmph, maybe…but you can't help who you are, Carmen. You'll end up leaving her for some other girl just cause…like father, like daughter." She spits out. Keys gives Zahra a look saying that she better come and grab me again. My chest raises up and down rapidly, I close my eyes for a second to relax my nerves. It all stops. I go over and put on my pants and slide into my sneaks. I toss my shirt over my shoulder and reach into one of my pockets.

"My mother is in me, too, you know. A sweet, caring woman. I can be that to Kyla. She knows that. At least one of the Davies sisters believes in me."

Ashley's face softens a bit and so does Keys' grip on her. "Carmen, I don't want you to be with my sister." She states honestly. "I better not see you in this house again with her either."

"That decision is not up to you, Ashley. It's up to me and her." I take Ashley's house keys out of my pocket and throw them to her feet. "I'll see myself out." I walk past her and Keys to leave before turning back around. "Keys, tell mi hadita that if she wants me, she knows how to reach me." Yes, I added that as icing on the cake. I don't care anymore. What's done is done. I hear Ashley yelling at Keys for holding her and for knowing about it and not telling her. I don't see Kyla anywhere when I leave. I take off and blast my stereo on high.

_"And in our minds, it comes so easily._

_But there's a feeling coming over me. _

_I want to show you,_

_But there's nowhere we can really be free. _

_Everybody's watchin. _

_Wouldn't it be good if we could be together?"_

I don't know where I'm going, I just know I wanted to get out of that situation. Can't I just rewind to last night and pause it right there? I hear my phone buzz and it's a text from Keys.

-You aite, Chi Chi? I didn't kno A would act like dat. :( ATL4Real.-

I text back while surveying my lip in the mirror. That's not a good look for me. I won't be able to make-out with Kyla until it's healed. –Yea, I'm straight. I told u she wouldn't like it. I need sum time 2 myself. I'll meet u the shop l8r. C.-

I toss my phone down on the passenger seat. I don't feel like hearing Aiden's snide remarks since Chelsea is still at church with Sean right about now. I roll around for awhile until I head to the only other place that I can be comforted and not be judged.

_"Take me away. _

_Take me far away from here. _

_I will run with you._

_Don't be afraid._

_Navigate and I will steer into the sun. _

_We will run."_

I go inside the house and smell food that was just cooked. She's usually done cooking breakfast at this time. I grab a couple sausage links and load a plate up with some pancakes. Shit, I'm hungry after the kush, the fooling around, and the fight that went down all in the last 12 hours. I practically inhale the food. I look and see empty plates in the sink. Who did she cook all this for?

My question is answered when I hear a husky voice call my name. I turn and see my brothers, Roberto and Ricardo come running towards me. You would think these guys are kids, but they're teenagers (18 & 16). Hell! Almost men considering how huge they've grown. I haven't seen them in so long.

"Robbie, Ricky, what are you guys doing here?" I gave them each a hug. "Don't you have school?"

"We go to a year-round school, remember?" Robbie said rubbing my hair. I remember when I used to do that to him. Now, he's got the upper hand. I push him off of me and he laughs. "We have a week off and decided to come see you and mom."

"We missed you, Carm." Ricky pipes in.

"I missed ya'll, too." We all smile at each other. "Come on, let's sit down." I look at them for a minute. They both have our mother's soft brown eyes but our father's chestnut brown hair and features. They're dressed like those jerkin dudes. I shake my head at them. "Guys, I know there's 64 colors in the crayola box, but you don't have to use all of them in your wardrobe." I joke.

"Yea, yea." Robbie flags me and points to my face. "What about your lip? Looking like you've just been in a fight is the style now?" He jokes back.

"Fight? What fight?" My mom comes out of nowhere. I try not to look at her, but my brothers are motioning towards my face. My mother grabs me by my chin and I wince a little in pain. Fucking sell-outs, my brothers are.

She gasps when she sees my swollen lip. "Ay, Carmenita, what happened to you?" She hugs me tightly and runs over to the freezer.

"Nothing, mom." I run my fingers through my hair and come out with a few loose strands. I quickly wrap it up before my mom notices. She would flip even more if she saw that. "You should see the other girl."

"Who hit you?" Ricky asks "One of your girlfriends?" He snickers and my brothers give each other a pound. I'm starting not to miss them as much now.

"Was it that Kelly chick?" Robbie asks. I furrow my eyebrows. I haven't talked to Robbie in a minute, how does he know about her

"Mom was telling us about her. She calls her 'La Cabrona'." They both laugh, I even chuckle a bit.

My mom smacks both of them in their heads and they wince. "I told you not to repeat that." She whispers harshly. She gives them the 'mother' look.

"Sorry, mom." They say in unison.

"Now.." She slaps a frozen beef patty on my lip, not ice. Yea…my mom's old school. "Was it that cabrona?" My brothers' jaws drop cause she just said it and I shake my head because our mom is a hypocrite when it comes to her own rules.

"No."

She presses the patty on my wound. "Who was it then, nena?" I didn't feel like telling her, but I knew she would bug me about it until she did.

"It was Ashley." I said quietly.

"¿Qué qué?" She asks with a shocked expression. "Boys, why don't you go check on your father and make sure he didn't cough up a lung." She shoos them away. "Why did she hit you?"

I don't answer her. She eyes me down, then her look turns into that motherly instinct face. "She punched you because of Kyla, didn't she?"

I sigh and look down. "Yes, mom." I can't believe Ashley hit me. Even more odd, is that I can't believe I took a girl's side over my best friend. But, she's not just any girl..to either of us.

"I see." She sits down across from me. "Do you think that you deserved to get hit?" What does she mean? I give her a sideways glance.

"I know right from wrong, ok?" I say with irritation. "I didn't fu-" She cuts her eyes at me. I forgot I gotta watch what I say around her. "I didn't make love to her sister." But I sure as hell want to.

"Entonces, ¿que pasó?"

"She caught us in Kyla's bed assuming we did something, but we didn't." I take a deep breath because I know when I tell my mother, it shows shit just got real. "I want to be with Kyla, mama." My mom has a hint of a smile forming on her mouth. "I want her to be mine and there not be a problem with it." I say sadly.

My mother is silent for a moment, then breaks out into a toothy grin. "It's about time you found someone, nena. I've been hoping it was her." She pulls me into an embrace. "She's such a nice girl."

"Mom..can't breathe." I say gasping for air. She lets go and smoothes my clothes down. "I'm gonna go take a shower, I need to be somewhere soon." I say breaking for the stairs.

I wanna get out of here as quick as possible so I don't have to deal with-

"Carmen, make sure you speak to your father." My mother orders me right before I go into the bathroom.

Shit. "Do I have to?" I whine.

"Don't make me repeat what I just said. He's still your father."

"Like hell, he is." I mumble.

"I heard that." My mom replies. She's got sonic hearing like a bat.

I hop in the shower and relax a bit. I let the hot water run on my body and let it clear my mind. I gotta talk to Ashley when she's calm down. I have to make her understand this isn't some game to me. Even more importantly, I gotta talk to Kyla and see where her head is at. I don't know if she's angry, scared, or what? Her running out has me a little confused. Maybe they both need time. I don't know.

I get dressed and head towards the door, not bothering to say goodbye to anybody.

"And where do you think you're going?" There she is again, popping out of nowhere.

"Nowhere." I lie. She folds her arms. "Mom, come on, I don't wanna speak to him." I sound like a brat, but I don't care. He can kick rocks.

"Just acknowlegde that he's here, nena." She comes towards me and pulls me by the arm. "A hi and a bye, that's all." She looks down at my wrist. "What is that?"

"Uhh.." I try to hide my tat, but my mom has a kung-fu grip on me.

"¿Un tatuaje, Carmen?" My mother's face turns into a look of shock and annoyance. "I thought you were wearing a bracelet. What have I told you about tattoos?"

"That you don't li-"

"That I don't like them." My mom says cutting me off. Why would you ask me the question if you're just gonna answer it yourself, woman?

"But, at least, it's spiritual." I coax, holding up my arm. "It's not a girl's name or anything."

"Go talk to your father. We will talk about this later." She starts talking to herself in Spanish as I leave.

My shoulders drop as I open the door up. I see my brothers off to the side talking to some neighborhood girls. Ladykillers. Just like their big sister. My father is standing off to the side; watching them with a proud look on his face. I wish I could say that time hasn't been kind to him, but his chestnut hair hasn't grown gray nor has he gained a beer belly. His gray eyes are still full of life while he's enjoying a Cohiba.

After awhile, he notices me staring at him and he shoots me a half-smile. "Carmenita."

I shoot him a fake smile. "Papi." Neither of us make a move.

"Well, don't just stand there. Give ur papi a hug and a kiss." He blows his smoke out.

"I rather not. Thanks." His half-smile falters. "What are you doing here?"

"What's the matter, mija? You don't miss us?" He asks gesturing to my brothers and himself.

"I don't miss you." I state plainly.

He nods his head. "I haven't seen you in a long time, Carmen. The least you could do is tell me you miss your dad." He puts his cigar out on the pavement. "Lie or something."

"Like you lied to mom all those years." I snap back. "No one wants you here, dad."

"Calmate, Carmen..what happened with me and your mom is adult business."

"No, it's not. What happened with you and mom is all our business." My voice starts to raise. "It was all our problem, but you were the fault of it." I get into his face. "When you left mom that final time, I was the one who had to pick up the pieces. Not you, me."

"I'm sorry about that, mija. Really, I am." He replies calmly. I don't believe his ass. He looks around. "There's too many beautiful women in this world to have just one, but your mother was and still is the only one I love." He chuckles a bit. "She must've have asked Oshun for me back everytime cause that's exactly what I did."

"Do you say that to all the mothers of your children, pops?" He furrows his brows. "Cause I know it's not just me and my brothers. I must have more siblings in Miami and Havana, who the hell knows where else? Taking long trips and shit. You think I'm stupid? You think mom's stupid?" I egg him on. "Do you see them every 5 years or so like you see me? Huh? Do you?" Everything that I've been wanting to say to him has just flown out the woodworks.

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself, Carmen." His eyes turn dark gray, just like mine do when I'm at my boiling point. "I've done wrongs in my life, but I've always been a man when it comes to my children. That's all that matters." My brothers start to come back to the yard. My father smirks. "Maybe you'll understand more about relationships when you finally date a man cause I raised a daughter, not a maricona."

My brothers look at each other and then look at my reaction. My whole body is on edge. I feel like I need another shower…actually, I feel like I need to be with Kyla right now. My father has never accepted me for being gay. Maybe he blames himself for it. He shouldn't though. If anything, he should blame himself for how I treated women..but that cycle is about to break.

"You know what? You do take care of us. You took care of mom, too when she asked for money. But, it's not enough, papi. Empty promises and not owning up to those wrongs doesn't cut it either. Mom divorcing you was the best thing she did for herself. She doesn't deserve you, she never did. I don't want to see you here again." I motion to my brothers. "They're old enough to get on a plane and come see us. You no longer have any ties here."

My father scoffs and sneers at me. He looks at my brothers, who looked stunned at what's happening. Thank God, moms not out here right now. He turns back to me. "You think you're the man of the house. Is that what this is?"

"No." I stare him dead in his eyes. "But, I'm more man than you'll ever be. I may eat pussies, viejo. But, you…" I size him up and down. "You are one." I strut off quickly, not looking back. Partly, because I thought that at any minute, he would slap the fuck outta me. I've had way too many body shots for today. I get into my car and bump some Don Omar about to speed off. I'm getting to ready to go like Omarion. By the way, I can't stand that song.

"Carmen, wait up!" I hear Robbie say. I see my brothers running to my jeep and see my father's pained face. "Can we chill with you for awhile?"

"I'm going to work." I reply.

"Please." Ricky says in a childlike voice. "We don't wanna stay here." They both give me the doe-eyed look they inherited from mom. How can I say no?

"Alright, alright. Get in." They jump in and I burn rubber. "Ok, here's the rules. No touching anything. Do not hit on my coworker. And above all else, The answer is NO."

They share a confused look with each other. "Where are we going?" Robbie asks.

"You'll see." I smirk; knowing they probably won't obey the rules. I turn up the stereo a little louder because I don't feel like talking about what just occurred. Pssh! He didn't even ask why I have a busted lip.

_"It's easy to hate me, it's harder to love me._

_You a hater. Ask ya bitches, bet ya all of dem fucked me_

_And they callin' me hubby and they be callin for nothin._

_Cause when I tell dem hos I like em, I be kiddin like Kudi._

_They be like…yup yup, we make em say…_

_Yup yup, we make em say…Yup yup, we got em like…_

_Let's get it…you got a boyfriend, no we don't care datt._

_Where da money at? It's over here. We ball hard, _

_Bottles in da air, chillin in da whip._

_Make dem bitties stop and stare."_

We walk into the tattoo shop, stereo blasting; but virtually no customers. Keys told me it's slow on Sundays. There's some biker guy getting a piece done by Zahra. I see Keys acting like she's cleaning or something, but she's just working I wonder what's up with that. My brothers are in awe.

"Damn, sis, I didn't know you worked at an ink shop." Ricky exclaims. "This is so kick-ass." He looks at me after he says 'ass' like I'm gonna discipline him. Who cares? I'm not, mom.

"Yea..who's the girl doing the tat?" Robbie questions looking at Zahra as she tosses her hair. "She's sexy." He waves at her.

"And she's too old." I remark. I look at them. "For both of you." Ricky holds his hands up to show he wasn't gonna try.

"Well, well, is this family day?" Keys comes strolling up and eyes my brothers. "What up, youngins? You tryna get inked?" She grins.

"Hell yea!" They say in unison.

"Uh, hell no!" I say with enthusiasm like they did. "You're not getting my ass whooped with a chancleta." I point at Ricky. "And you are underage."

"But, I'm not." Robbie steps forward. "Let's do it. Do I get a discount since she's family?"

"I'll have to think about it, kid." She motions for one of our other artists to come over. "He'll take care of you."

"Can't I have her instead?" He points to Zahra, she notices and he sends her a flirty smile.

Keys face hardens. "She's gonna be busy for awhile." That was weird. "Take him in the back."

I smack Keys in her arm. "Why the hell would you suggest that?"

"Easy..your brothers are gonna be awhile. He's gonna ask them a bunch of questions and show them this big book of tat pieces. We need some time to talk."

"About what?" I plop down on the couch.

"Uh, for starters, why were you and A scrappin like ya'll was doing a Girlfight sequel? I mean what the fuck, yo?" She looks at my lip. "You should put some 'Tussin on that."

I chuckle a bit at her cheap-ass healing methods. "My mom already took care of it." I rub my side where Ashley knee'd me in. "She saw me in bed with her sister and thought the worst."

"That did not seem like the worst to me." Keys interrupts with a grin. "How was it?"

"Don't." I hold up a finger. "We didn't have sex."

"Bitch, what?" I shake my head at her reaction. "Wow!"

"Words were exchanged, so were fists and that's when ya'll came in and manhandled us." We sit there for a moment, I see Zahra glance at Keys and then concentrate back on her customer. I look back and forth at them. "So, how did ya'll get to the room so quick? I thought ya'll would leave before Ashley would get home."

"Well, about that.." She starts checking out her tats, she does when she gets nervous. She glances at Zahra. "Nas & G.C. went back to Zahra's place to get in, we decided to stay cause there's was oodles&noodles and soda left-" She goes on.

"Stop stallin and get to it, Marquita." She exhales a heavy breath. "Did something happen?"

"It must've been the kush.." I look at her wide-eyed. "We were talkin bout relationships and she just flat-out kissed me. I didn't know what to do. We ended up sleeping in the guest room." She whispers..

"You mean to tell me that you got it in with Zahra?" I whisper back.

She has a sad face. "No. I stopped her after she kissed me. I didn't want it to happen that way."

Huh? "That way? Keys, what are you talking about? Is that why you & her have been avoiding eye contact?"

"Yea…it's whatever." Keys gets up and gestures to the door, looking like her cheery self again. "We'll talk later. Looks like you got a visitor."

I turn and see Kyla standing beside me. I immediately feel 10 times better. I quickly get up and wrap her in a tight embrace. "Kyla." I breathe out. I'm so glad to see her, feel her. I'm not gonna lie cause for a split second, when I walked out of Ashley's house, I thought she would lock Kyla up like Rapunzel.

"Carmen.." She says it like a breath of fresh air.

"Are you ok?"

She does a little laugh. "I should be asking you that." She bites her lip. "I'm so sorry Ashley hit you. I didn't think-"

"Shh, it's alright. I survived, didn't I?" I give her a smile. I don't want her blaming herself. It was bad timing, that's all. "Come on, let's go in the office." I suggest escorting her. Out the corner of my eye, I see Robbie getting something done near his chest. That little shit disobeyed me. I ain't telling mom nothing. "How's she holding up?"

"After all that, you give a shit how my sister's doing?" She asks in disbelief. "Carmen, she started it." She leans on the desk and folds her arms. I gotta say, her irritated pose is so damn sexy.

"True." I gaze at her. "But, she's still my right-hand man." I unfold her arms "I knew there would be some hell to pay. It's worth it though." She gives me a slight smile. "By the way, how did you get here?"

"I took a cab. Ashley and I kept arguing after you left, so I told her to go fuck herself and I bounced outta there." She does a haughty laugh. I laugh with her.

"What about before I left, you went out the room. Was I the reason?" I ask feeling a little insecure.

"The whole situation was the reason. It was a nightmare and fucking embarrassing. I just needed to get a hot shower and unwind."

"Oh.." I suddenly feel stupid.

"Did you think I left because I was angry with you?"

"I don't know…I'm used to people walking out." I state plainly.

"Well.." Kyla pulls me into another hug. "I'm not one of those people."

I breathe in her scent and feel my fear release. "That's good to know."

"You know what else is good to know?" Her eyes twinkle a bit.

"What's that?" I question. I don't know she means.

She whispers in my ear. "That you, Carmen Sanchez, consider me, Kyla Woods, your girlfriend." I can't help but to have my chest swell up from that recognition.

"Yea, I guess I do."

"Uh..you guess?" She holds a finger.

"I do, Kyla." I correct myself. "I meant to say I do." I fix my eyes on hers. "I still want to be with you. Regardless, if your sister accepts it or not cause sooner or later, she'll have to.

Her eyes look a little watery, but she just gives me a quick peck on the lips."That's my girl."

"You're making me sound like I'm pussy whipped, you know."

"Yea, I know." She winks; I shake my head. "Isn't it great?"

"Not at all. It sucks, honestly." I flat-out lie. She scrunches her nose into a smile, like her sister, but it's different. I think I'm getting the hang of this dating thing.

"Well, tough luck because you'll be seeing a lot more of me. I plan to be out the house as much as possible until Ashley comes to terms with us." She states seriously.

"I have no problem with that, hadita." I give her a kiss on the lips. "She will come around. We'll have to talk with her separately. Maybe that will help."

"Yea.." She pauses. "Until then, I guess I have to nurse you back to health."

"What about your sister?"

She shrugs. "Spencer can be her R.N. I'm taking care of my girlfriend."

"In anyway I like?" I smirk.

"Ha! Don't push it." Aww. She kisses me again, but ends it as soon as she does it. "Why do your lips taste like a burger?"

I lick my lips, we both start chuckling. "Mom's old remedy." I kiss her again before she can protest. "I am much tastier though."

"I'll find that out." She gazes at me seductively and sways her hips out of the office. I watch her, of course. Oshun must be working on her side…then again, maybe it's just the way things are meant to be.

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**Ok, that's it. This was a bit more drama-filled, but I still had touches of humor thrown in. At least, I think so Ashley's POV next and yes, Spencer is mostly in it. Anyways, tell me what ya think. I'll update as soon as I can. Thanx, ppls. ^_^**

**Sidenotes: 1. Who has seen the season premiere of Drag U? Didn't Raven look fabulous? Ohh, if only she was a real girl. *sigh* 2. Pretty Little Liars is so addictive. I'm glad that Emily is coming to terms about what she wants. Get your woman, girl! Also, Spencer looked so hot doing a lil Salsa dancing. :) 3. I've been keeping up with Degrassi when I can, but did anybody notice they're showing new eps all this week? It's wild. Also, I think they have a transgendered character on this season. Whoo! 4. Who thinks the new doctor on Doctor Who just doesn't have the same effect like the previous doctor did? 5. Anybody gonna watch the second season of Vh1's Scream ****Queens**** and/or BBC's Being Human? 6. There's so many twists & turns on True Blood, it's so hard (yet fun) to keep up. 7. Why do I have so many damn sidenotes? Haha! I'm all over the place in this one. Answer me back in PMs about my sidenotes, if ya like. I don't mind.**

**Songs used: Take Me Away by Fefe Dobson; Make Em Say by Meek Millz (Philly mixtape rapper; I had to have at least one song that was the sound of the underground in my hometown…hey, that rhymed). **

**Translation: No toques-Don't touch; que que=what what (sorta like 'say what?'); entonces, que paso=then, what happened?; un tatuaje=a tattoo; calmate=(you) calm down; mija-my daughter (combo of mi & hija); maricona=(another derogatory term for a lesbian); viejo=old man. Lmao! I'm like the Dora The Explorer of SON fanfic. Oh, and Oshun is the Orisha (deity) of love, beauty & sexuality, in case anyone was curious. **


	19. Resistent Remedy

**Thank you soooo so so much for the reviews. I love em. For a second, I thought no one would like the fight scene and put something like 'This sucks, Loba! Boo!' Luckily, that's not what happened. So, without further ado, let's get a reply to reviews (the rest are answered at the bottom)…**

**Janice: A new reviewer, I believe. Yay! I realize I have Kymen as the primary couple. Didn't mean to have it that way at first, but it happens. Spashley will be more in depth now. More Spencer? Ok, I got it. :)**

**Life-Live-Love-Learn: I would ask who's your hadita as if I know her from up the block, but I don't. Lol! Viva La David Tennant. Him and the chick that played Martha Jones. That girl is baaad! Glad you enjoy it, you'll see what happens. Also, nice to hear from you again. :)**

**Spashley152334: Another new reviewer. I'm reeling ya'll in. Yes to both couples. They look so good together. Thank you for loving my writing. I appreciate it. **

**AliciaJ29: Thank you! I love that you love this story. Another new reviewer? Damn, I'm good.**

**ILovePepsi: I love Pepsi, too. *licks lips*, but I gave it up for health reasons. :( Haha, I guess nobody was expecting a physical fight. Yea, I feel you. All I'm gonna say is...Raven & Nina Flowers in the same room. *faints***

**Doesitmeanjustice: I know, right? I wanted a 'dun-dun-dun' moment and I believe I got it. Ashley's POV comin right up for ya! :)**

**Bumbaross12: Lol! I love that you put my line as a review. One of the greatest? That's big. I know..I say OMG to this chapter, too. Lol! Yes, she is. Oh, I love the studious types. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not SON or the songs used. I do own some Breyer's Black Raspberry Chocolate ice cream. Yum!**

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Ashley's POV

I had a little phase where all my clothes were black; everything in my room was black. I even dyed my hair black. It was right after I saw The Craft for the first time. I remember I wanted to be Fairuza Balk; forget the other 3 chicks. Carmen and I would watch that movie over & over, we really thought we were some Bewitched bitches or something. She gave me a Tarot reading one time; she said her aunt taught her when she and her mom were vacationing in Miami.

There's only one card that stuck to my memory, the rest were a bunch of cards with swords and cups on them. It was real eerie and cool with a dozen candles lit and Evanescence playing in the background.

*Flashback*

"What's this one mean?" I ask Carmen, amazed. It was some type of angel with blond hair and it looked like a happy card. Maybe, that's why I liked it so much.

"That is the Temperance card, A." She flips through the 'Tarot Made Easy' book. Her bangs were as straight as the pages back then. I could barely see her eyes.

"I see that, dummy." I rolled my eyes. "What does it mean?"

"Hold on…" She flips through some more, looks at the card and smiles. "Found it."

"You suck at this." I state humorously.

"You want the rest of your damn reading or what, gringa?" She snaps back. I shake my head and motion for her to continue.

"Ok, so, the Temperance card means-"

"Hey, what you doin?" Kyla asks popping her head in into my room. God, she used to pester me and Carmen all the time when we were younger.

"Nothin! Get out, Kyla."

She ignores me and looks at Carmen. "Hi, Carmen." She used to talk with her mouth closed as much as possible so nobody could see her braces.

"Hey, squirt!" Carmen jokes and flashes my sister a grin. "You want me to read what your future holds, too?"

"No!" I answer for her, she stick her tongue out at me.

"No, that's fine. I think my future is a little bit brighter than my sister's here." She smirks, I point to the door.

"Leave now before you mess up the atmosphere. Go watch Smallville or something."

She pouts. "I don't even watch that show anymore, Ashley."

"Look, squirt-"

"Stop calling me that!" Kyla whined and stomped her foot in the process.

"Fine, Kyla," Carmen says sweetly "Can you please just let us finish? You know how Ash's temper is." She smirked.

Kyla thought it over and smiled at Carmen. "Ok, Carmen, for you." She points to me "Not for her." She walks out before poking her head back in. "Try not to burn the house down with all these candles."

"Dork!" I call out.

"Wicked bitch of the West Coast!" She calls from down the hall.

"Oooh!" Carmen starts giggling. "She got you with that one, kid."

"Whatever, C. Just tell me."

"Alright," She turns serious; if she had on a scarf she would like a gypsy right now. "So, the card means that there are two opposites in your life that will come together. It will take you by surprise and you won't like it, but in the end it will be better for everyone." She puts the book down and gazes at me.

"What does that mean?" I frown. "Does this have to do with Jonica?"

Carmen heaves out a sigh. "Ash, you've only kissed the girl once, it's not like you went out on a date or anything."

"Yea, but the two opposites thing? Is that like you and her?"

"It hasn't come to pass yet. It will unfold when the time is right." She chuckles. "God, I sound like my tia saying that." She puts a hand on my shoulder. "I think the other cards were about Jonica though. I'm gonna tell you right now, I don't like her."

"Why? Cause she's a blonde?" I chuckle.

"No." She shakes her head in amusement. "Cause she plays the field like me. You seem to really like her, Ash. Have fun with her, but don't get caught up."

"I won't. I just wanna see what she's about." I quirk an eyebrow. "Who knows? That might happen to you one day."

She looks at me appalled. "Forget that! No girl is gonna have me sprung."

"You sure about that?"

She smirks. "As sure as you think my mom is hot."

"Yea…." I drift off to fantasy land for a second with Ms. Natalie Sanchez "If it doesn't work with Jonica, tell your mom I'm coming for her."

I get hit with a stuffed bear after that which ensued into a pillow fight. We never did another reading after that. I was too freaked out afterwards because Carmen had been right. Right about Jonica and now, she's right about this.

*End Flashback*

_"That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood_

_I got news for you, she is!_

_They say she's a slut, but I know_

_She is my best friend, yeah._

_Rebel girl, rebel girl,_

_Rebel girl, you are the queen of my world._

_Rebel girl, rebel girl_

_I know I wanna take you home, I wanna try on your clothes."_

"Shit." I curse at the game. I'm playing Rockband right now. In the middle of the day. By myself. Yes, I know how lonely that sounds, but I couldn't face going to school with a black eye. I told Spencer that I've been sick for a couple of days; I didn't lie. I've been sick to my stomach. My emotions are all over the place. I feel guilty for hitting my best friend and for embarrassing my little sister. On the other hand, I'm still angry and disgusted with both. Just how long were they screwing each other behind my back? After the fight went down, I kicked everyone else out. Keys tried to get me to calm down, but I was angry with her, too because she knew about them and as a friend, didn't tell me. I just wanted to be left alone. For the past couple days, I have gotten my wish because I barely have seen or talked to Kyla.

I'm almost near the end of the song when I hear the doorbell ring. I pause it, feeling like my arms need to rest for a second anyway. Have you ever tried playing that song on 'expert'? I mean without the no-fail mode on? It's murder on your limbs. I grab my sunglasses off the table so nobody can see my shiner.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I call out as I hear the doorbell rang again. Maybe, it's a package for Kyla from her mom. I open the door and I see it's definitely not a package, it's a delivery for me. One that I was not expecting. "Hey, Ashley." Concerned blue eyes are met with my shaded ones.

"Spencer, hey." I smile. I've wanted to be around her, but I didn't want her to see me like this.

"Is it safe to come inside?" She asks jokingly.

"Umm..yea. Yea, sure." I let her in and she gives me a once-over as she passes by me. I must not look that sick if all I'm wearing is shorts and a cut-off tee. "How was class today?"

"Oh, you know the usual." She gives me a warm hug and a kiss on my cheek "How are you feeling?"

"Better." I try to sound like I'm better but it comes out a bit rough. I hold on to her a little bit longer because I needed someone here with me. It's not like I can run to my sister or my best friend when they are the problem.

Spencer giggles and pushes me back slightly. "Are you trying to get me sick so I stay here with you?"

"No.." I grin mischievously. "But, now that the idea is in my head…" I kiss her on the lips which in turn becomes a little closed-mouth kissing quickie. "I don't see you with a can of Lysol batting me off."

"You know.." She sits on the couch and I follow suit. "I don't think being half naked and playing Rockband will sweat out your fever, Ashley."

"Who said I had a fever?" I ask confused.

"Well, I had to think of something since you never told me what you were sick with." She gives me a patronizing look. "I tried asking Kyla how you were doing at home and she said for me to ask you myself."

If she could see my eyes, they would be rolling at that remark. "Did she now?"

"Yea, she did. So.." She touches my face. "What's really going on?"

"It's nothing." I lie.

"I don't like liars, Ashley. You should know that by now." She says sternly.

"I can tell you what it's not. It's not another girl." I answer honestly. I don't know what possessed me to say that, but I feel like I'm being examined here. I don't want her to even think for a second that I reverted back to my old ways.

"I didn't say it was..." Her hand drops from my face. "I want you to know that you can talk to me." I don't say anything in response. "I think I know what's been bothering you."

"Really?"

"Yea," She reaches for my glasses, but I maneuver away from her. "Just like I think I know why you're wearing sunglasses indoors." I'm starting to get frustrated, but one look from her takes away that feeling. She's trying to be here for me and I keep pushing her away. I'm not used to somebody caring to hear my side. "Can I see how bad it is?"

"What?" I ask being a brat. Damn it! Stop it, Ashley. I sigh and take off the glasses.

I hear Spencer gasp. I don't even turn to look at her. "Oh my god! Ashley…" She touches my eye tentatively; it's still purple and blue and I feel self-conscious showing it to her. "This looks kinda bad. Have you been putting anything on it?"

"I iced it a couple of days ago. It's not that bad." I say brushing it off. Yea, tell that to your throbbing eyeball, Ashley.

"Not that bad? Why haven't you been taking care of it?" She pulls me up and takes me to the counter.

"Maybe cause I haven't had a nurse to take care of me." I smile flirtatiously. She lets the warm water run and put a washcloth underneath.

"Ashley, you can't be seductive when you have a black eye that you let get worse." She laughs, I pout. "Who caused the black eye?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that I fell?"

"No." She slaps the washcloth on to my eye to emphasize her answer. "Keep it on there so your vessels open up. If you got some parsley, it can cut down on some of the swelling."

"How do you know all this?" I ask in awe.

She chuckles a bit. "I thought that you remember everything I said." I shrug and she continues. "I have parents that are doctors, remember? And a brother that is physically active. I have a trick or two up my sleeve when dealing with medical problems." She looks at me and I look back with my good eye. "If you don't want to tell me, I can just leave you here with your game and swollen eye." She's trying to play hard ball with me. It's working.

"No. I don't want you to go." I walk back to the couch and plop down. I don't really want to explain myself; yet at the same time, I want to get this off my chest. "It's about my sister."

"Ok…" Spencer replies sitting next to me. She starts to play with my hair to relax me. I don't know if she knows I enjoy that, but what girl wouldn't like if it's Spencer that was doing it?….I'm getting off-topic again.

"And Carmen.." I spit out in anger. I lean into her touch a little more. She nods her head in patience.

"Ok..what's the problem here?" I eye Spencer down in frustration that she's not putting two and two together. "What?" She ask dumbfounded

"You really don't get it, do you?" By the tone of my voice, I can tell she's upset with how I handled that. Now, I feel worse. "I'm sorry-"

"No. Don't apologize." She cuts me off. "You found out about them, right? That's what has you worked up?"

Wait a sec! What? "You knew?" She looks down, my nose flares up a bit "Did you know?" I ask again more direct.

"Well, I.."

"What the fuck?" I throw my hands up. "Am I only the one that doesn't know my best friend is fucking my sister?"

"Ashley!" Spencer exclaims. "Please, calm down."

"Why should I?" I fold my arms.

"Because you're making it bigger than it is. So what if they're dating?" Spencer says honestly; my mouth drops a little.

"Are on you their side?" I move away from Spencer. "Oh, my God." My own girlfriend knew and didn't tell me. That's right, I said girlfriend. Who knew that I could be on top of the world last night and now I'm feeling like shit the next day?

Spencer quirks an eyebrow. "Seriously? Are you listening to yourself right now?" She questions. "Why is this such a big deal to you? Is it because Kyla is dating a girl?"

"Honestly, I can get over the fact that she's dating a girl. But, this is L.A., she could've picked anyone, any fucking lezzie out here; yet, she chooses Carmen. Carmen?"

Spencer furrows her eyebrows at me. "Ashley, listen, I know that you have been spending a lot of time with me and you haven't noticed your surroundings…but they've been into each other since our first date." That long, huh? I'm gonna kill Sanchez. "From what I see, they like each other, it's not just one-sided."

"From what you see?"

"Yes…cause unlike you, I can concentrate on my girlfriend and observe other people at the same time." She jokes lightly; I don't find it funny though. "And for the record, they didn't sleep together. I think they are taking it slow."

"Oh, yea, that makes me feel so much better." I roll my eyes. Ow! That hurt a little bit. That would really suck if they had sex before Spencer and I did. I would feel like a total loser. "That still doesn't change the fact that C broke the golden rule."

"And what's that?"

I toss the washcloth. "That family is off limits. Carmen knows that."

"Again. Do you think she meant for that to happen, Ashley?" Spencer comes over to me and unfolds my arms. "You can't help who you fall for."

"And that's what you think happened with her? She fell for my sister?" I smirk. "It doesn't work that way with her. She doesn't do relationships. She doesn't like a girl for who she is; only what they can give up. I don't want Kyla to get hurt."

"You sure about that? Cause about a month ago, you were like Carmen." She states, I look down. "You didn't do relationships and so on and so forth." She picks my chin up. "But, look at you now. How is it that you're in the process of changing your stripes, but she can't?"

I pause for a moment because I don't have an answer for her. "I'm changing because of you, Spencer. I haven't felt anything like this for a very long time and I want to make something of what we have because of it."

Spencer smiles slightly and kisses me on the lips. "Well, if you think that's the case, you should let them have a chance. Kyla might be good for Carmen."

"Spencer, it's just too weird." I exhale a heavy breath. "I know Carmen in and out. She's not-"

"Not the same person." She says finishing my sentence off. "People can change, Ashley." She locks her eyes with mine. "With good enough reason, they can change for the better."

"I guess so." I shrug; she touches my eye and smirks. "What now?"

"It looks a little better now. We should get some ointment. I can't believe you and Carmen fought, that was uncalled for." I gaze at her perplexed. "Kyla did mention that part; she just didn't tell me the cause of the fight."

"I'll admit one thing. Carmen has a mean right hook." I think about the fight and feel a little guilty. It makes me wonder if she hit me because I hit her or because of Kyla. Maybe a little bit of both.

"I'll say. She was with Kyla when I ran into her. It seems like you have some moves yourself." She puts the ointment on my eye. "That should help with the pain mostly and make the swelling go down quicker."

"Thank you." I say with a glistening eye. Glistening because of the oil and because this girl really cares about me and how I'm dealing with this. I never had somebody stand up to me and call me out when I'm wrong. I never really gave a damn if I was wrong either, but Spencer makes me see things a little bit more clearly. No pun intended.

"No problem." I stop her before she walks back to the couch and pull her in for another kiss. "What was that for?" She smiled as I planted another one on her.

"Just cause. You're helping me deal." I smile at her.

"You know I might've been wrong. How is it that you can still look hot with a ring around your eye?" She quips.

I scrunch my nose up. "Maybe because I am half-naked and like you agreed," I give her a soft kiss on her jawline. "I am a passionate kisser."

"Ashley.." She breathes out. I keep kissing down her jawline to her neck. "Ashley.."

"Hm?" I say while my lips are still glued to her neck.

"If this is your way of not speaking about this anymore, then you have another thing comin." She says it with assertiveness, yet her neck leans into my lips and tongue more.

"I know what I would like for to be comin." I reply slyly. Oh, yea, I got her now.

"You know.." She pushes off of me hesitantly; then walks back to the couch. "You almost had me going there until you said that line." Shit! I keep forgetting that she's not the average girl.

"Oh, come on. It wasn't a line, it was the truth." I pout. She gives me a quick peck. I pout even more because she left it at that. Damn tease.

"Well, truth be told, Ashley, I think you have bigger things to do than seducing me." She unpauses the game & starts it over to play on guitar.

"I wasn't done playing that, you know." She winks and starts playing Nirvana's 'Drain You'. I walk up to her and pull her in to me from behind. "You already helped me out. We talked about some things, so…what's bigger than seducing you right now, 'baby blue'?" I whisper in her ear.

"Making good with both your little sister and your best friend." She says without skipping a beat, I hang my head down. "I told you we weren't done, Ashley"

"Yea, but-"

"No but's. I know you haven't talked to either of them, otherwise there would've been some type of resolution."

"Why are you so damn clever?" I say tightening my grip on her. Please don't ask me to apologize to them, Spencer. I'm not good with apologies.

"Because I strive to not be the stereotype of the dumb blonde." She giggles. "Ashley, I know what you're doing. You keep trying to change the subject and distract me with your hotness, but you will make this right."

"Why should I?"

"Because you won't get to fool around with me until you do."

"You're gonna shut your lips down?" I ask shocked. That's one of the many thing I enjoy on Spencer's body…for the time being. I haven't explored everything yet. "Why you gotta be so hard on me, Carlin?"

"Why you gotta be so stubborn, Davies?" She counters smoothly. What? I'm not stubborn. I just like things my way and right now I'm not getting it my way. "Seriously, they both deserve an apology."

I let go of her and watch her play the rest of the game. I run my fingers through my hair. "So, should I do it over the phone?"

"Uh, no. You should do it when she comes home."

"She's not gonna come home, Spence. She spends most of her time at Carmen's."

"Well, then call her up and tell her you want to talk, Ash."

"Can I text her?" I ask hopefully.

"Wuss." She taunts.

"You never had to deal with Kyla's anger."

"Well, if she's angry that means she really does care about Carmen then."

I nod my head at the 'Oh, wise one' that is Spencer. "True…I'm still sending her a text." She chuckles and switches to Tenacious D's Master Explorer. She's playing it on 'hard'? Oh my! I think she's the one.

-Hey, Ky. Can u stop by the house after skool? 3pm? I want 2 talk 2 u. A.- I text to her. I wait in anticipation to see if she texts me back for a few minutes, but receive nothing back.

"Did she hit you back up?" Spencer asks.

"Not yet."

It's about 40 minutes later; Spencer and I have been playing a long set list. I don't think it was a good idea to play 'Chop Suey' right after 'Lazy Eye', but she picked the songs. I think we should chill out now. I grab us some drinks & popcorn and we go put on the movie Silent Hill. Still no text from Kyla, maybe she could care less with talking with me, she's probably over Carmen's house right now. I understand when you just want to chill with the one you care about. Wait! Do I care about Spencer? Like 'care' care?

I feel her grip tighten on my body as a grotesque monster appears on the screen. I have these heavy drapes so no sunlight is getting in right now. Perfect room for a vampire living in L.A. Ha! Take that, Angel, watch and learn. I hold her closer to me.

"Ugh! Why did you pick this movie, Ashley?"

"So you would jump into my arms every 10-15 minutes." She tilts her head a bit since she's still stuck to me. "Besides, you picked the songs. We're even."

"Even, huh?"

"That's what I said." I do a little head roll at the end. Keys and Carmen taught me that. Work, bitch! "If you don't like it, you can get off of this nice, warm body and comfy bed."

"Hmm..." She pulls me in to for a kiss. "I don't think so. I love being on..your bed."

"My bed, huh?" She flashes me her pearly whites. "We might have a situation then."

"Well, you certainly have the abs for it." She says in a flirting tone, I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. I have no idea what she meant by that. "The Situation?" Blank stare. "Ripped abs?" Another blank stare and a couple of blinks thrown in there, too. She rubs her forehead. "Ashley, you never watched the Jersey Shore?"

"Ohh! Is that what you meant?" She nods her head slowly, I chuckle. "Nah, it's not my twist." She flags me off. "That's more so Kyla and Carmen's thing."

"Well, I guess they have a lot more in common than you think." She wheedles; I look down at her for a moment thinking that opposites attracting each other better.

"I can think of three things we have in common as well." I position myself so most of her body is on mines.

"What are they?" She throws her legs over so she's straddling me.

"You have to give me a kiss for each one you agree with." She contemplates the idea and leans down to give me a kiss. "Mmm, was that a freebie?"

"Just tell me."

"Ok, one, we are both incredibly hot." She waits a moment before leaning down to plant one on me. "I thought you would like that one."

"Two?" She urges.

"Two, we both have annoying siblings." Spencer quirks an eyebrow. "In our own opinion." I add.

"I'll accept that." She leans in while I reach up halfway. Our lips meet and I get that urge again. Damn, how long has it been since…nevermind, forget it. Keep a cap on it, Davies. Control yourself. Aww, why do her lips have to be so damn soft? "So, what's the third thing?" Spencer asks after catching her breath. Her eyes are a darker hue and her face is flushed. I love that I can have this effect on her.

"The third thing is.." I flip her over in the bed so I'm now straddling her. Her hands are on my hips; shaking a little. I grab them and put them on my stomach. I contract it so she can feel my muscles underneath. "We both think my abs are a situation to be dealt with." She's stroking my ego right now by the way she's gazing at me. I see her bite her lip as her hands roam over them. "Now, can I get that last kiss?"

I leaned down and capture her lips with mines. This one is different from the others that we've had. It's not those shy kisses we first had or even the prolonged, romantic ones. Definitely not; this one is filled with desire. I can feel her tongue grazing my lips and then taking over as soon as I open my mouth. It's hot, it's wild, it's something I wouldn't expect from Spencer who's now pulling me down to lay on her and I'm surprised again by her gestures. My hands travel up her shirt, wanting to feel an area higher than what she felt on me. I guess my hands are making her excited cause she starts sucking on my neck; planting kisses here and there. She wraps her leg around me which immediately sets me off. You ever had a girl that do that to you, one you really want to smash (in a loving way, of course) and you instantly get wet and start grinding as if you have an 8-inch on? No? Damn….I feel sorry for you then.

"Ashley.." She calls out. I push up on her because of how she 'says' my name. She sounds like she wants it, but she's fighting it at the same time. Please, don't fight it, Spencer.

"Yea, baby." I reply, my voice an octave lower. She bites her lip in desire which makes me smirk.. She then sighs and turns my head to the door. Kyla is standing at the door; watching us. "Ok, that's a bit creepy."

"Um, hi, Kyla." Spencer waves timidly. Kyla steps in the room.

"Hi, Spencer." My sister smiles at her mischievously. "Having a good time?"

"Uhh…well" Spencer's flushed face just became 3 shades redder.

Kyla holds her hand up to stop Spencer's embarrassment. "Say no more, Spencer." Kyla sits at the edge of the bed. "I already know the answer to that." She fixes her eyes on me. "I was in the same position just last night, so I know how you feel." Wait, what?

"Kyla.." I say in a low tone. "Do you not know how to knock?" I get off of Spencer and stare her little ass down. How dare she say interrupt my session with Spenc-oh yeah, I see how this is.

"I thought about knocking." She rubs her chin. "But, decided not to. Who knocks anymore, right?"

I roll my eyes. "Why didn't you answer my text?"

"Because I was coming home anyway." She walks out the room. "You have 5 minutes to talk to me, Ashley, I'll be in my room."

"I can't believe she just did that." I shake my head; I feel Spencer wrap her arms around my waist and lean her head on my shoulder.

"I can. She's upset, Ashley. But I do think an apology will get you back into her good graces." She reassures me; she kisses my shoulder. "You can do this."

"Do I really have to?" I whine. This is gonna be tough. I don't know if I'm really that sorry.

"Ashley, if you don't do it, whatever was happening before Kyla walked in won't happen until you do. That goes for both Kyla and Carmen." Damn! Way to lay down the law, baby blue.

"Alright, give me 5 minutes."

"Sorry, babe, I have to go. I got a paper to write. Thanks for playing Rockband with me."

I give her a pout; she gives me a hug and my hands gravitate to her hips as we get caught in another lip-lock. "Not a problem, baby blue." She pushes off of me and walks backwards to the door.

"Maybe later we can tell each other what else we have in common." She throws me a sexy grin.

"You promise?" I smile excitedly. She just tilts her head with a knowing nod and goes down the steps. "That wasn't an answer!" I call out. A second later, I hear the door slam. I told you she was a tease.

*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK*

"Kyla?" There's loud music coming from Kyla's room. I try the knob, but it's locked. A thought crosses through my mind that the door is locked because Carmen is in there. I realize at that moment how stupid I'm being. I look at myself in the hallway mirror, black eye and all, I realize that this could've been prevented if I would've taken the time and listen. Shit, I should write that down to say to Kyla.

*BOOM, BOOM, BOOM*

I knock harder. "Kyla!" Maybe, she'll hear me over the music now. The door swings open. "Oh, god!" Kyla is in her bra and underwear. Wait a second! Are those thongs? When did she start wearing thongs? "Can you put some clothes on, please?"

_"I wanna drive, I wanna fly, I wanna go._

_I wanna be a part of something I don't know_

_And if you try to hold me back, I might explode._

_Baby, by now you should know._

_I can't be tamed, I can't be tamed_

_I can't be blamed, I can't, can't _

_I can_'_t, can't be tamed."_

"You're in my room, remember?" She walks over and turns the music down "And you want to talk to me. So talk"

"Fine." I shake my head in humor. "Now, I know you've been hanging with Carmen since you're playing Miley Cyrus."

She shrugs. "What can I say? That's what happens when you have a girlfriend; you compromise."

"Hmm…so, she really is your girlfriend then? Carmen is settling down some for you."

She folds her arms. "Yes, we're girlfriends. I'm in a lesbian relationship with your best friend." She saunters off to pack some clothes into her bag. "Fucking deal with it." Kyla adds when her back is turned to me.

I bite my lip and hold out my hands in a choking pantomime. Since when did she get like…like Carmen? I didn't realize how annoying, that is. "Well, how exactly did you expect me to deal with it? I walked in on you about to…" Mental image went through my head. Ew! "do something that I rather not see my sister do. Ever!"

"If you're trying to get on my good side, this isn't the way to do it." She says with a pissed-off glare.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Just help me understand." I look her in the eyes. "Help me understand why it has to be her?"

"What's there to understand, Ash?" She puts on some jean shorts and a tank. Thank God. My nausea would've never let me apologize if she wasn't dressed. "I like Carmen. A whole lot." She says sincerely.

"But, why? Why pick a girl that acts just like your own sister does?" I point out.

"Cause there's more to her than she lets on. She's not like you in all ways, Ashley." She has a faraway look on her face. "No one really sees her vulnerable side like that cause she's scared for everyone to get close to her." She half-smiles. "But, she's letting me in after all this time."

"All this time?" I furrow my eyebrows. "I thought you just started dating recently?"

"We have. But, I've had a crush on her ever since we were in our early teens." She runs her fingers through her hair and chuckles. "I didn't think she would like me back, not until she saw me as a woman."

"I see.." I stare her down. "How does Carmen really feel about you?"

"Well, that's for you to ask her. I know you're not gonna believe just me if I tell you about our relationship." She keeps the eye contact. "But, she does want to be with me. We were gonna tell you that morning.." She lets it hang in the air, I feel a pang of guilt hit me dead center.

"Ok, I'm sorry that I busted in on you like that. I'm sorry for not taking you seriously and for saying hurtful things to you, Kyla." She's wearing a stone face, but her eyes show her emotions off. "I didn't mean them…I was just so mad cause I didn't think anything like this would happen."

"And you immediately thought that Carmen was to blame." Kyla adds, I nod my head slowly in agreement. "The thing you don't realize Ashley is that I'm the one that pursued her. She tried not to like me, but you know us Davies can be very persistent in getting what we want." She shoots another half-smile; it must be something she picked up from Carmen. I chuckle. "All I'm saying is that you want someone to blame for this pairing, then blame me. But, you shouldn't. Things happen for a reason." I think I'm beginning to understand where she's coming from.

"So…what now?" She gazes at me for a moment. "I'll have to accept this for what it is?" I question inquisitively.

"You'll have to, Ash. We want to be with each other and if there's any more..." She throws her hands up. "Of anything from you, you won't just lose Carmen..you'll lose me, too. Promise me you won't stand in my way this time. I can protect myself."

"I know you can, Ky. If Carmen is who you want,.." I take a deep breath. "then I won't interfere. I promise you." She smiles and gives me a tight hug. Oh, Jesus! Did I just say that? Am I actually fathoming the idea that Kyla and Carmen are an item? Then again.. I don't want to lose either of them because of my intolerance. "I love you, Kyla. I don't wanna see you get hurt."

"I love you too, Ashley. I won't." She pulls back and looks at me seriously. "She won't."

She smirks a little. "I'm surprised that you took a short time making amends with me. Did the lovely Spencer have something to do with it?"

I flash a toothy grin just thinking about her. "Yea, I guess she did." Kyla nods her head. "Cool. I'm glad." She lets go of me and gathers up her stuff. "Spencer's good for you, Ashley."

I giggle a bit thinking what else she was good for before Kyla interrupted. "You don't have to tell me twice." She giggles with me and walks to the door. "Hey, umm.." I pause trying to convey a message. "Tell Carmen I need to talk to her, also. I owe her something."

"It better be an apology." Kyla warned.

"It is…it's just something else, also."

"Alright, I'll tell her after we have our kissing and spooning session."

My mouth hangs open. "Carmen spoons?"

"Well, yea." Kyla replies as if it's the most normal thing. "Why?"

"Carmen never spoons, she just eats." We both laugh at the double meaning.

"Well, that's something you don't know about her. She's definitely a spooner." She grins. She and I walk out the room; her bag in tow. "Oh, just to calm your anxiety, we haven't made it to the main course yet. The preparation is gonna take awhile for that."

"Thanks for the information, sis." I said waving her off. "See you tomorrow."

"Anytime you want an update." Still annoying little brat, that will never change.

"So, now what do I do?" Home alone. Again. Early evening. I'm definitely living an exciting life since my hot, blonde bombshell went home to write a paper my sister has gone to her girl-screw it, gone to Carmen's house. That's gonna take some getting used to. I don't wanna go to Keys tat shop cause I know I'll just end up getting another tattoo. I don't wanna play with myself since Spencer left me high and dry; I rather save all that pent-up desire for when we finally make love…make love. Hmm..I gotta get used to that, too. I need a book to write down things I have to get used to. This is too much. "Movie or Rockband?" I look over and see that Silent Hill is paused on a gruesome, skin-snatching part. I'm by myself, too? Fuck that. "Bikini Kill, here I come," I call out as I jog down the stairs. I put some more ointment on my bruised eye before I rock out; mentally thanking Dr. Spencer Carlin for suggesting the remedies of a bruised face and a bruised ego. I got a band-aid on the patched relationship with my sister, let's hope it heals easily.

* * *

**Lemme just say this: I dedicate this chapter to HollyMarie4. I know you holding it down and whatnot, sorry for the wait. I hope ya enjoyed it. Again, I am honored. :)**

**Also, shoutouts to Shain777 for giving me the longest review to date; you funny as hell, kid. :) Shoutouts to Raissa92 for giving me my first non-English review, muchas gracias, bella. :)**

**I'll be honest; I wasn't feeling this chapter as much. It was a bit difficult to write. I kept changing stuff around, editing & re-editing, just ugghh! *starts shadowboxing* Like how am I suppose to follow up that fight? Lol! That and I had family obligations that needed to be dealt with, been feeling drained and just life in general, so my deepest apologies for the lateness. Anyways, tell me what you want and I'll do my best to deliver. ^_^**

**Here's the rest of the…'FOF', I think it's called. *shrugs***

**Domino Lavendel: I knooooooooowwwww. Thank you. :)**

**Drummergirl244: You're the one that had my phone keep vibrating. I got a bunch of alerts with your name on it. Lol! It made me extremely happy. All 18 chapters in one sitting? *whistles* That's dedication. Don't cry, please. You're gonna make me cry. Lol! **

**Pdsc325: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I'm happy you didn't expect the fight. Hopefully, it wasn't too negative of a surprise. My mom wanted to slap me on my fresh tat when I got it cause she was so angry. Lol! Thank goodness she didn't, though. **

**Lilce1992: I'm glad you love the chapter. I hope Emily and Maya kiss again…actually I hope Emily comes out the closet soon. I feel like I'm too old for Degrassi; yet I still try to keep up with it. Smh. Spashley is on their way. :)**

**Ladytink2011: Intense was what I was going for, so thanks. :) Whoo!**

**Sidenotes: 1. Who saw Scream ****Queens**** on VH1? I think I already know who's gonna win. 2. Why are they making a Saw 3D? *pinches bridge of nose* 3. Pretty Little Liars: Self-Explanatory. Lol! 4. For my clubheads that know about ****Baltimore**** Club Music/Brick City Club Music/Philly Party Music… have you heard 'Ride That Wave'? It's so addictive; yet so dumb. 5. M.I.A.'s album is that work! You hear me? Especially, The songs Steppin Up, Teqkilla, Meds and Feds (Shain, you might like that one, I'm just sayin), & Illygirl. 6. Did I sound like I was on a mixtape doing all those shoutouts. 7. ….and I'm done. **

**Songs used: Rebel Girl by ****Bikini**** Kill; Can't Be Tamed by Miley Cyrus**


	20. From Sugar To Spice

**Hmm, I got some pretty good reviews for the last chap (about 20 or so). Thank you all. You really know how to make a girl feel good. ;) As far as answering reviews back that I didn't answer by PM, I'm sorry but my USB got effed up and I lost everything; my replies as well as whatever I wrote in the chapter…so again, a lot of this is from memory. I don't think technology likes me very much at the moment. Anyways, umm, I'm taking a risk with this chap just cause I needed a little change with Spencer here. I also got a little bit of Ashley's POV in here, too. I hope you all enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own SON or the songs used; I do own a book on the global history of love between women. *smiles***

* * *

Spencer's POV

It's about 5:47 p.m., I'm typing, more like stabbing on my laptop. I've been at it for about 2 hours and all I have is one out of the five pages written for this assignment. My mind hasn't really been all the way into my schoolwork. Instead, it's been on something that starts with the letter A and ends with her being on top of me. Damn, that sounds good. Oh my God, did I just think that?

"Ugh! ¡¿Que la chingada?" Madison curses. *tap, tap-tap, tap, tap-tap, tap* "Why did I pick Chemistry? I barely passed it in high school."

Is there anything more annoying than your roommate being stuck on her schoolwork and feels that she needs to tap her pen incessantly to some island song enamating from her radio speakers? No? I didn't think so. Although, the song reminds me of how Ashley was moving when we danced at the party. So sultry and sensual…minus the damn pen-tapping. I shrug my shoulders and try to concentrate on my work once more. Emphasize on 'try'. I put my document window down on my laptop and gaze at the picture of Ashley and I. It was taken a couple of days ago when she asked me to be her girlfriend. Girlfriend. I have a girlfriend. I didn't think it would happen again.

"Love you girl, do you feel the same? I don't wanna play games. No games." She's singing off-key as well as…*tap, tap-tap, tap, tap-tap, tap* "Ahh-ahh."

"Maddy!" I say forcefully, she looks up alarmed. "Can you please stop? I'm losing my focus here." I say a little more relaxed now that I spoke my mind.

"Sorry." She stops tapping, but continues to hum. I guess I can bear it. "How's your writing coming along, chica?" She comes over and sits on my bed. "Or are you brain-dead like I am?"

"I'm working on it." I reply, my fingers not moving on the keyboard. I don't even look up to acknowledge her. My eyes are fixated on the pure joy of both our faces in the picture. She took us back to the place of our 1st date and we got on the Ferris Wheel because it was getting fixed on the day we went. It was a clear night, just like it was on the beach on our 2nd date. When we reached the top, she was complementing me, asked me if I was enjoying myself (which of course, I was), saying she felt on top of the world when she's with me; then, she popped the question…I make it sound like it was a proposal, but I think it's a big step, for both of us. Usually, it takes a few more dates for me to even consider being someone's girlfriend; but it's something about Ashley that makes me go against everything I usually do.

"Uh-huh." She says slyly. She grabs my laptop. "What are you doing? Tweeting?"

"No. I don't even have an account on Twitter." I answer, attempting to get my laptop away from her. It's not that I'm ashamed of what's on there; I just don't want Madison to start up a convo with me about Ashley. I never been the type of girl to have a lot of female friends; therefore, I mostly share my info with Glen.

"Seriously?" She stares at me like I'm crazy; she opens up my laptop and looks at my background. Whatever. Not everybody is on Twitter. "Ooh, who's this?" She asks in an intriguing tone.

"That's Ashley." I feel a minor flutter in my stomach now everytime I say her name.

She looks closer. "She's cute." She complements nonchalantly. "Where were ya'll at when you took this?"

"On the Ferris Wheel ride." I feel my face heat up and my heart beat faster when I think of what we did after we took that picture. The conductor gave us a leering look once he saw our red cheeks and messed-up hair. Of course, we couldn't blame that on the weather or the ride. I see Madison give me a sly smile. "Is she the one whose name you call out when ur dreaming? The one that's making me lose sleep?" She nudges me with her elbow. I think she's trying to be buddy-buddy with me since this is chitchat to her.

"She's my girlfriend." I confirm. I fight off my kool-aid grin that I wanna show off right now.

"So, Glen was telling the truth, huh?" She nods her head. Does Glen just tell all my business during pillowtalk with a girl? "Go ahead, Spencer!" She genuinely smiles at me and I can't hold mines in afterwards. I'm beaming. Even if it is Madison, I'm glad I can share this with another female that doesn't have ties to my brunette beauty. "Has she made you call out her name while you're awake, too?" She winks. Ok, ew! Madison winking to lesbian sex is an odd look on her.

"No." I snatch the laptop back and bury my head under a little. "It's not like that."

"Well, how long ya'll been girlfriends?"

"Umm, three days." Madison raises an eyebrow. Suddenly, I'm not liking this girl talk.

"Three days." She repeats. I nod my head. "Three days and you already have a picture of you and her as your background?"

I nod my head again; now feeling stupid and sprung too soon. But, you would be too if you spent time with Ashley; learning about her childhood. When she was 8, she wanted to live with the Care Bears (she swore me to secrecy to keep my mouth shut) or the time she and Carmen tagged a teacher's car because he was known for making derogatory statements towards LGBT students. She said they got caught and was suspended for a week while the teacher was dealt with by officials. I thought it was rather rebellious and a bit of a turn on; which is probably why after she told me is when we got into a heated make-out session. Every time I kiss her, I just want more and more, you know? It's a bit overwhelming how much I am attracted to her in every way.

"Well, we've been on three dates and I met her during the first week of school." I say trying to justify my mild infatuation. "So, it's not like I fell head over heels for her in three days."

"I'm just wondering if you're feeling her like that," She points to my screen. "why hasn't your heels been over your head with her?" She smirks; I'm left with a confused look on my face.

"I don't know what you mean by that." I confess.

Madison laughs and grabs her keys. "Ask your brother, he knows what that means."

"If it's something sexual, I don't wanna know." I say holding my hands up. "I still haven't fully recovered from walking in on you two."

"Ay, puta, that's old news. I'm so over that and you should be too." She checks herself out in the mirror. I roll my eyes seeing that she's back to her regular old self. "Besides.." She says pushing her breasts up some. "I don't deal with bi dudes, it's not my thing."

"Oh…ok." I say in an indifferent tone. I don't think Glen would even care about that reason. I saw him and this Middle Eastern guy eye-fucking each other earlier; which means he either scored with him or is about to score with him.

"Anyways, back to you.." She walks to the door. How is she going to start up with me again when she's about to leave? "You want my advice?" I open my mouth to say no, but she cuts me off. "Of course you do, Carlin. Now, listen, you've been a good little Mid-western girl since you got here, but you're dealing with an L.A. chick, who judging by the picture, looks like she's used to getting ass. Now, I'm not sayin you're a prude, but don't be afraid to have some fun so early in the game. Ok?"

"Madison…did you just give me permission to be a whore?" I furrow my eyebrows; she busts out laughing.

"No, I didn't. I'm giving you permission to act on your feelings, don't calculate when things should happen, just do it. Let your body do all the talking." I fall silent; what she's saying does make sense a bit as cheesy as it did sound. I mean there are things that Ashley does to me when we're kissing that makes me want to…well, jump her bones pretty much. It's too soon and I know that Madison is right, but I want Ashley to respect me all the same. "I will say this; I think this Ashley chick is helping your attitude. I mean you do come off as uptight, but lately you've been having a little spunk in you.." She says honestly.

"Why, thanks, Madison." I say sardonically

"What? Spencer, it's the truth. Even Glen said it." Another smack in the head for Glen the next time I see him. "Go ahead and finish your paper up, I need a break. I'll be at Starbucks." I wave her off. "Oh, if a guy named Derek stops by, tell him to give me an hour." She goes out the door and I start typing again. "And if a guy named Devon stops by, tell him we're still on for tomorrow." I give her an incredulous look. "They're both my study buddies, bitch. Don't get it twisted."

"Sure they are." She gives me a cheeky grin and closes the door behind her. Finally! I can get back to my paper…ok, I got nothing. "Fuck it." I put my window back down and look at the picture again. Now, I'm a bit bothered by what Madison has said. What if she has been wanting to do more with me and I'm holding her back? It's not like I don't want to do more, it's just…dammit, sometimes I don't even know my own body or what I might like.

I turn on my iPod and let Robin Thicke serenade me. I wonder if I can get Ashley to play me a song by him. Ohh, Ashley. I didn't know she could play that well. The way her fingers move on the strings is hypnotizing. I love how her voice sounds and I bet she croons even better with enough incentive. I bite my lip remembering what happened after she played for me on the beach and I'm not gonna lie, a major part of me didn't want her to stop.

I lie down on my bed and close my eyes as the other intimate times we had together run through my mind. My hands start to gravitate to my breasts as I take control of my fantasies letting them go further than they do in reality. I lift my shirt up some and let my fingertips run over my left nipple, then the right one. I pretend that it's Ashley doing it; as if she's playing a tune that only I can listen to. To be honest, I kinda lost my sexual appetite after my break-up and it's not like I had a bunch of sexual encounters afterwards, unless I count me, myself, and I.

"Mmm." I groan as I squeeze on my nipples, I let one of my hands travel down my stomach until it reaches my shorts. I'm not wearing any underwear, so I know it would be so easy. I always get like this when I'm pleasing myself because I don't do this often. Weird, ain't it? I can be an out lesbian; yet, I can't fully enjoy myself. I even open my eyes to see if anyone is around; forgetting that I'm in the room by myself. "Relax, Spencer." I tell myself. If I'm gonna be comfortable with Ashley touching me, I have to be comfortable with myself first, right? I let a couple of fingers slip underneath my clothing and lightly massage my hood. I lick my lips at the sensation, I pretend it's Ashley again still playing the same slow, sensual tune on my body. I think of her whispering to me while she does this and I can feel myself getting wetter from it.

I open my legs up a bit so I'm able to skim down lower pushing past the folds and entering my center. I imagine that Ashley is telling me how good I feel, how she's loving every minute of it while my fingers glide in and out with ease. I move them as if she's grinding against me. I can hear myself moaning and grab a pillow just in case I have thin walls. I don't want to give anyone a show now. My breathing is getting more and more irregular as I go back up to my clitoris. I never liked the word clit. The shortened word just sounds too dirty to me. However, I guess it doesn't matter since my mind is in Rated-R mode.

I rub it faster as I picture Ashley being the one rubbing it with her tongue, her lips, even a little bit of her teeth, too. There's nothing wrong with a little nip as long as the girl knows how to do it and I bet money that she's a pro at...everything. "Ashley.." I call out, surprising myself. I feel my face heat up, but I don't know if it's from embarrassment or desire. "Uhh.." My voice keeps giving out; I'm almost there. Damn, I wish she was here right now. I use both my hands now, searching for some type of release. I'm so far gone that I don't even notice that someone is knocking on the door.

"Spence!" *BOOM, BOOM, BOOM* Oh, no! This can't be happening. "Come on, open up. I know you're in there." Glen, I'm so fucking pissed off right now. Would you believe me if I told you that I try to finish? *BOOM, BOOM, BOOM* "Is Ashley in there with you? Can I watch?" I hear him chuckle, that's just fucking great. Whatever thought I had left of Ashley ravishing my body senseless has now dissipated along with my orgasm.

"Shit." I sit up and shake my head, obviously annoyed. Ok, let's be honest here, more like frustrated.

"Oh my god! She must be in there if Spencer ain't answering. Fuck 'can I watch'? Can I join?" I hear a girl's voice comment; both she and my brother giggle. Who? Is that..?

"Gimme a second." I yell. I look in the mirror and let out a sigh, it looks like I just got some…if only that was the case. I fix myself up and level out my emotions before swinging the door open. "What?" I ask grimly.

My brother's shit-eating grin falters when he sees how pissed-off I am. It fades even more when I smack him in the head. "Ow!" He rubs the side of his head. "What the hell was that for?"

The girl whose voice I heard pushes past him. "Oh, you know what that was for." Keys says pointing him in his head. She turns to me and smiles. "Seriously, baby blue. What was that for? Cause if it was for nothing, then it makes me even funnier."

"Don't call me 'baby blue', Keys." I said raising my hand up, she holds her own hands in surrender.

"I don't want no problems, boo." She chuckles. "You got a bit of a glow to you." She hugs me and whispers in my ear. "I bet Ashley is putting in work, huh?"

I give her a quick hug and shake my head. "She's not here."

"Then, what took you so long to answer?" Glen asks. I look at Keys, Keys gives me a knowing smirk. It's that whole woman's intuition.

"I was sleeping." I say softly while I smooth my hair down, Keys flexes her fingers in and obvious manner. We look back and forth at each other in an awkward silence. "What do you want?"

"We want you to come with us." Glen's grin is back on his face. This can't be good.

"Glen, the last time I went somewhere willingly with you and you didn't tell me is when you showed me that disgusting '2 Girls, 1 Cup' video. You can forget it." I shudder remembering the images. I mean is that even humanly possible?

"What? He showed you that, too?" Keys asks with an equally disgusted face. He shoots her a smug smile; which in turn makes her slap him in the head.

"Ow!" He says rubbing his head again. "Will you girls stop hitting me?"

"You's a sick muthafucka, man." She shakes her head.

"Alright, listen, we're just heading to the mall, ok? You wanna join us?" I give him a long, unwilling look before I try to shut the door, but his foot catches it. "Oh, come on, Spence, please? We haven't hung out much this past week or so." He gives me the puppy dog look.

"That's because you've been hanging out with that guy." I counter.

"What guy?" Keys ask, Glen's cheeks turn pink. "G.C., have you been making collabos with Nas?" She nudges him. Who?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Glen says flippantly. "But, I heard that someone was doing a little tongue play of her own." He winks and Keys rolls her eyes. "From A to Z, right, Keys?"

"Who the hell are ya'll talking about?" I ask. They both look at me, and then look at each other. I can't stand being out of the loop.

"Nobody." They say in unison.

"Ok. Weird." I state humorously. "Are you supposed to be our triplet, Keys?"

"Nah, she's just the female version of me." Glen replies, he swings his arm over Keys' shoulder.

"Yea, except I'm Black, have better style, pull better looking girls, and let's not forget the swag, partna." She pats him on the back. "You wanna come with us, S-Dot? We're just gonna hit a couple of stores up."

"With what money?" I ask, staring down Glen. "We're supposed to be on a budget here. Remember?"

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out identical credit cards. "Dad sent them to us the other day." He wiggles his eyebrows. "For emergencies. Like this new Ed Hardy shirt I saw this guy wearing." Ed Hardy? Do people still wear Ed Hardy?

"This is an emergency? Seriously, bro?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Uh, hell yea. I wanna look good, you know."

"Well, that's gonna be a difficult task." Keys wisecracks. "Come on, just go with us. Maybe, you can pick out some sexy lingerie for Ashley." Hmm, that doesn't sound bad. "And you can model it for me.." I narrow my eyes at Keys; so does Glen. "Just so you can get an opinion from someone that knows A, ok?"

"Alright." I breathed out. I give in cause I know that the moment is gone now, I'm not gonna get it back. I don't masturbate often enough for whatever reason; my lack of appetite, maybe. However, that can change in the near future with Ashley being my nourishment. "Gimme ten minutes so I can put something on."

"Cool. Maybe while we're in the mall, we can get some chocolate ice cream." Glen suggests with a wide-tooth grin. Keys and I look at him with horror on our faces. Keys walks away from him and I shut my door. "What? What I say?"

Keys' car

_"This right here is my swag_

_All the girls are on me, damn._

_Everybody pay attention._

_This right here is my pretty boy swag (ayeee)."_

"Pretty boy swag, aye. Pretty boy swag, aye. Pretty-" Glen checks himself out in the mirror while rapping.

"Glen, I swear if you say pretty boy swag one more time, I'm gonna slap any swag you have left out of you." I threaten him. That song is fucking retarded.

"Right? Lemme turn this shit off." Keys switches the song. "Only Down South rappers played in my car are T.I., Luda, & Jeezy."

"No Weezy?" Glen pouts. I truly believe my brother is in love with Li'l Wayne.

"I'm not playing his punk ass in my car either, he whines on every damn record."

"Thank you." I say to Keys. "I need a break from that guy."

"No problem." Keys replies; she's glances at me as she drives. "So, uhh, you and Ash doing good?"

I smile as Ashley comes into my mind. "Yea, we're good. Great even."

"Have you seen her naked yet?" Glen asks from the back seat.

"Glen!" I yell. I pinch the bridge on my nose at his bluntness.

"What? You're my twin. You're supposed to give me details if ya did."

"Well, I haven't, ok?" I admit, dismissing it quickly. I do not want to converse about my sex life with my brother as well as Keys.

"Glen, a lady never kisses and tells." Keys says in a posh British accent. A horrible one, I might add. "You can tell me about it later, S-Dot, when the man isn't around." She flashes a smile at me.

"Hey! I can hear you, you know." Glen whines.

"Pipe down, G.C., before I put you on the spot." He says nothing; just sits back and bobs his head to Jeezy. "Now, that your brother won't interrupt us for the time being, lemme rap to you about some things."

"What?" I give her an inquiring eye.

"What exactly are you doing to A that has her wanting to wife your ass, girl?" She giggles.

"Umm…I don't know." I giggle with her "But, is that what she said?"

"She doesn't have to say it. I've known her long enough to know when something is different about her and you're the difference, shawty."

"Is-is that a good thing?" I fumble with my hands a little.

"If it works for her, then it works for her. Whatever makes ya'll happy, ya know? That goes for her and Carmen. I didn't think either of them would choose to be locked down LIKE THAT." She snaps her fingers to emphasize the suddenness. "But, I dig cause both you and Kyla are sexy as hell. That would make one hell of an interracial threesome porno, wouldn't it? You, me, and Kyla." She produces a wide-toothed grin.

"Marquita, are you trying to seduce me?" I say with a pseudo-coy look.

"Nah, that's Ash's job. Besides, I was there when her and Chi-Chi fought. She's got some fight in her if you mess with the people she cares about. Trust and believe, she cares about you." She cares about me, huh?

"How can you so be so sure?" I ask.

"If she didn't, you wouldn't be sitting here talking with me and having me declare all this shit, going against the les-bro code and discussing feelings with you." We both laugh at her rant.

"Speaking of feelings.." My brother comments. "What's up with you and Zahra?" He smirks.

"What's up with you and Nasir, twink?" She asks back boldly.

"Who are these people you're talking about." I ask assertively. I'm tired of being out of the loop, dammit. "Are you seeing these people?"

"Kinda."

"Not really." They both answer me the same time with different answers.

"Oook."

Keys sighs. "Zahra is my coworker. Nasir is her cousin."

"And?" Glen urges.

"And what, bitch?" She says to Glen angrily. "Nothing's goin on with me and her." She shakes her head. "At least that's what she keeps telling me." Keys mutters sadly.

"Pfft. You're a goddamn liar, Keys."

"Man, eat a dick, G.C."

He shrugs. "I didn't get that far yet."

"Oh my god!" I rub my face with my hands, these two are crazy. "Are we almost at the mall?" Everybody shuts up and it's silent for the rest of the ride.

"She needs to get laid." Glen loudly whispers to Keys. *SMACK* I hit him with a VIBE magazine with Nicki Minaj's ass on the cover. "What the fuck, Spencer?"

Keys grabs her own magazine and whistles. "I wouldn't mind being smack with that in real life."

I smile shyly. "I concur."

"Oooh, I'm telling Ashley." She wags her finger.

"Shut up."

We've now been in the mall for 2 and a half hours and it's almost closing time. I've been weary of keeping up with Glen's spending limit. I had to talk him out of purchasing a kayak. What the hell is he gonna do with a kayak? After spending time in Foot Locker, A&F, Old Navy, and 3 other nameless stores. I only have two bags with a few clothing items while Glen and Keys have 3 in each hand.

"Just spill, Keys, come on." Glen pleads.

"Why do you wanna know?"

"I just wanna see if my assumptions are right. Did you or didn't you?"

"She's straight, Glen." Keys says plainly.

"I doubt that has stopped you before." Glen smirks, I chuckle in agreement.

"Damn, Spencer, you gonna laugh though?" She shakes her head in mock-disappointment.

"Hey, he might have a point."

"Well, if she fooled around with me, then she must not be that straight. I'm not exactly a 'safe-look' lesbian." She twirls around. For a second, I thought she was gonna shablam. Ah, how I miss Vogue Evolution.

"I'll say." Glen replies. Keys and I look at him with disdain. Really? "I didn't mean it like that, I mean it's sexy. Like how Ciara was in the 'Like a Boy' video." He grins. Cue eye roll from both of us.

Keys opens, then closes her hand and points at my brother. "You are a dumb fuckin blond sometimes, you know that? Now, I'm not telling you anything."

"I'm sorry, Keys." He pouts. "It was a compliment though." We keep walking for another five minutes.

"Are we done yet?" I ask exhausted. I'm done with the whole day. I just wanna go back and finish the paper before any more thoughts of Ashley clog my mind. Yea, like that won't happen.

"We gotta hit up one more store." We stop in front of this neon-lit store with blow-up dolls in the windows. "This is what we initially came for."

"Are you forreal?" I read the name of the store and hang my head down. "The Pleasure Chest?"

"Yea." He grins. "Keys said they got some kick-ass prices for things." He gives a thumbs-up to Keys. We walk in the store and they have German rave music playing. The kind that you would hear in a BDSM sex club. Don't even ask me why a smoke machine is on either.

"I really dislike you right now." Glen flags me off and walks up to some skinny emo guy.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you point me to where the anal beads are?" He asks with mock-seriousness. Keys and I give each other a knowing look: Glen is a dumbass.

"Follow me." Emo guy says with no emotion. Glen gives the guy a weird look and picks up some flavored lube on the way to the beads.

"Your brother is a freak, shawty. Does that run in the family or something?"

"Ummm…"

She holds her hand up to silence me. "It's ok. I'll hear it sooner or later from Ashley." She winks.

"We haven't done anything yet." I confirm again. I look down at my shoes and I pick up something called 'The Rabbit'. "Does she like this sort of thing?" What the hell? This thing rotates, too?

"Like what sort of thing?" She looks at what I'm examining in my hand and chuckles. "Hmm, I think that's a bit advanced for you and her." She jokes. "But, I would buy it, just in case.

I hold it for a minute, and then decide to put it back down. Maybe, she's right. If Keys thinks it's too advanced for her, then it's definitely too advanced for me. Hmm, that begs me to question something that I may or may not want to answer to. "So-"

"Ooh, look, they got a sale on strap-ons!" Keys blurts out. She drags me over to the array of dildos and harnesses. I didn't know there was so many you could choose from. I shoot Keys a sideways glance, she rolls her eyes. "I know I'm acting like Glen right now, but these things right here are expensive."

"You ladies need help with anything?" It's a redhead with a surfer haircut ask. My gaydar seems to hum a bit once I notice the lighting bolt scarf tied around her neck. "See anything that interests you?" She's directly asking me this time.

I see Keys folds her arms in a defensive manner, the redhead doesn't even flinch. "Uhh, no, we.." emphasizing Keys and I. "are just browsing, but thank you.." I read her name tag. "Jonnie." I guess it's short for something; maybe her real name is too girly.

"You sure?" She picks up one of the dildos that looks like a healthy cucumber. "I saw you had your eye on this one in particular." I wasn't looking at that one at all.

"Bullshit." Keys yells/sneezes. I have an amused look on her face while 'Jonnie' has an annoyed look on hers. "Sorry, ya'll. It must be the dust that's been collecting on these dildo displays." I put my hand over my mouth.

"Anyways." She cuts her eyes at Keys before putting on a jovial face with me again. "These are for the girls that don't like for it to look too realistic." She smiles knowingly, I guess me being next to Keys enhances my gayness glow. "It works best with the harness that goes around your thigh." She looks me up and down like I'm some prize to be won. She's kinda cute, but Ashley is the victor in this.

"Thanks for your help, but really I'm just here with my people." I say nicely, hoping she gets the hint.

"Well, if you need anything.." She steps closer, but Keys blocks her from me.

"She said she's cool, man. We don't need you telling about some cucumber, dolphin-head, or banana-lookin dildos, aite?" Keys stares her down fiercely. I might have to hire her as my bodyguard. "We good." The redhead looks her up and down, then walks off into the back.

"We're closing in a few minutes." The emo guy calls from out of nowhere. Glen has already made his purchases. He gestures to outside the store to tell us that's where he will be.

"Thanks, Keys." I tell her sincerely. "Ashley would really appreciate what you did."

She scoffs in response. "Don't mention it." She looks back over to the redhead, who gives her a glare. "Fuckin anorexic, Riot Girl wanna-be bitch." She mutters to herself.

"Did you know her?" I ask curiously.

"Uhhh..she tried to hit on Kyla at the club and Carmen was gonna slice the chick, but I was like naw, ya know?" She glances at me, then back at the display.

"…Ok." It seems like there's more to that story, but I'm not gonna push it. I still want to know something else.

"I need to make a decision." Keys claps her hands, snaps her fingers, and does a gun-tote to two different toys. What the hell was that? A ritual? "You should always get synthetic, it's closer to human skin." She informs me. "And by the way, S-Dot. The chick don't know what she talking bout, the harness that is like boyshorts is the most comfortable."

"Thanks for the tip." Not that I would ever try a strap-on…well, maybe I would..who knows? "Keys, I had a question to ask-"

"Nope. Sorry, Uh-unh!" She cuts me off. I give her a shocked look.

"You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"Of course, I do. We're in a sex shop. We've been talking about what we have or haven't done all evening. You have me to yourself. I know what you're gonna ask me, Spencer."

"What's that?"

"You're gonna ask me how experienced is Ashley, as in how many girls has she boned? I'm not giving you the answer. I didn't give Kyla the answer either when she asked me one-on-one."

What? That's crazy. I wasn't….Awwww! Ok, fine, I was gonna ask that. "I just know what I'm dealing with here." I say nervously.

Keys looks at me with sympathy and pulls me into her shoulder. "Listen, girl, Ashley, Carmen, and I have had some.." She winces a little when she says 'some'. That must mean the number is high. "experience over the last several years. But, it don't mean shit when it comes to making love. If-no, wait, _when_ you make love with each other, those girls will dim in comparison. It's happened with me, it can happen with Ashley or Carmen. Aite?"

I nod my head in response feeling a little reassured. "Alright." I give her a little squeeze back.

"It might be a little harder for Chi-Chi though cause…" She whistles for emphasis with a faraway look on her face, I chuckle at her madness. "What was I saying?"

"Cut it out before I tell Kyla." I warn.

"Don't!" She pleads in mock-fright. "If she knuckles-up like her sister, I got no chance."

"I got your back, Keys." I pat her on the back. "Now, go buy your dicks with the matching holster-panties" She busts out laughing and we walk off to the counter. Keys leaves me with some food for thought. Maybe, I shouldn't worry so much. I just hope my quality trumps all of her quantity

Ashley's POV (3 days later)

I park outside of Carmen's mom's house. Kyla told me that she's been staying here the past few days; she might even move back since her roommates are going their separate ways. She says that Carmen has asked about me, but hasn't made the initiative to talk to me. I guess she's still upset and I can't blame her. I never thought we would have a falling out over something like this. I mean it's not just something, it's my sister. On the other hand, it's probably not just something to her either. I smoke a cigarette to calm my nerves, letting the nicotine give me courage. I almost choke on the cancer stick when I hear my phone blare out Spencer's ringtone.

_"Listen and you will find that_

_Your heart beats for me_

_Girl, I hear the sound._

_It started off with a kiss (uh huh)_

_Never expectin' this (uh huh)_

_And now I'm here copin' with_

_My addiction (addiction)."_

"Hey, beautiful." I say happily, a smile already plastered on my face. "What you up to?"

"Not much; just studying." I can tell she's smiling on the other end of the phone.

"Ah, I love a studious woman." She giggles and it makes me smile wider. I flick my cigarette out the window as if she's sitting in the car next to me. I never did tell her that I smoke, but I have cut down immensely since meeting her. I'll quit soon. "Do you still wanna go out tonight?" I haven't seen her since I apologized to Kyla. I haven't seen much of Kyla either for that matter, but I know she's not there today for a reason.

"Umm, actually, I was wondering if we could stay in. Is that ok?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. Whatever you want, Spence."

"Thanks." She says quietly. "You know you never cease to surprise me, so I have to ask if it can just be a quiet evening in."

"I can do quiet. You, me, pizza, movie, love seat." I suggest.

"I was thinking more so..upstairs again as in..your room." She says a little flustered. I find it quite sexy. "You know, since the last time we had such a good time." She leads me to think about it. Yes. Very good time until Kyla's ass walked in.

"If that's what you want then, alright." I reply smoothly, hoping there's a good reason she wants to be in my room tonight. I look out my window and breathe out a heavy breath. "I'm about to go apologize to Carmen right now." I announce.

"Good, Ashley. That's awesome. I'm proud of you." She states sincerely, it makes me kinda proud, too. "Are you nervous?"

"No." Spencer clears her throat in that 'bullshit' type of way. "Ok, a little bit. But, since my girlfriend said she wouldn't make-out with me until I apologize, I should get this over with." I quip.

"Don't act like I'm the only reason, Ash. We both know that." She counters.

"Yea, but I can't wait to be rewarded for my good deed." I flirt aimlessly.

"We'll see about that." I love when she plays along. Her teasing is a major turn-on and I enjoy the challenge. "You should get going so we can start our night faster."

"Oh, really?" I get out the car and walk to the door, seeing Carmen's car is parked in the driveway.

"Yea, but I want you to spend time with her, too." I frown a bit. "We'll have enough time together."

"Fine." I sigh again.

"You should stop breathing out like that." Her voice drops a note when she says it. I bet she's biting her lip a little.

"Don't worry, baby, only you can hear the exclusive sounds." She giggles at my reply.

"Bye, babe."

"See you soon, Spence."

I hang up, fantasizing about what might be in store for tonight. At the same time though, it probably won't be much. Maybe a little top action, maybe not. But, I'm not gonna rush Spencer into doing something she's not ready for..even though I'm blueballing because of it.

I ring the doorbell. My heart is beating a little quicker. I'm not really sure how Carmen is going to react to me coming through here. I hope she sees this gesture as me caring enough about our friendship to work things out. I hear loud footsteps come down the stairs. Carmen could never tread lightly; she thinks she can, but she can't. I'm surprised she was able to sneak out of some girls' houses.

The door swings open and I step back some. Carmen seems surprised to see me, then her expression turns to caution. "..Hey, Sanchez." I try to say it calmly, but my voice betrays me and it comes out scratchy.

She stares at me for a second as if she was expecting someone else. I wonder if Kyla set her up. She has enough sense to clear her throat before speaking. "Wassup, Davies." She crosses her arms.

"H-How ya been?" I ask. I don't look her in the eyes because of the guilt that just crept up on me again. I know her eyes are fixated on me though. It might just be my imagination, but they feel like cold steel. She doesn't answer me verbally, just tilts her hand from side to side. "Yea, me too." I answer back. It's silent again. Dammit, I hate apologizing.

"Something you want to say to me, Ashley?" Carmen questions, I look down.

"..Yea.." I take off my sunglasses. Did I mention I'm still wearing those? My black eye is almost gone, but I'm still a little self-conscious about it. She looks down when I take them off, probably feeling the same as I do. I see her subconsciously lick her bottom lip, her battle scar is almost healed, too. "Do you mind if I come in and we talk?"

She looks me up and down with a wary eye and turns to the side to let me in. "I was checking to see if you had any weapons on you." Carmen informs me with a slight smirk on her face.

I hold my hands up. "Don't worry. I come in peace." We sit down in the kitchen across from each other. We stare each other down, waiting for the other to speak. "So…" I didn't know how to start off exactly.

"So…start talking." She motions me with her hand to get the ball rolling.

I run my fingers through my hair and sit back. "You're not gonna make this easy for me, are you?"

She gets up and grabs two bottles of apple soda. Her mom has a bunch of Goya products in the house. Don't sleep on their soft drinks. "What do you think?" She questions me with a straight face; she hands me one and I drink half of it in 2 gulps. I guess my nerves are getting the best of it. "For the record, you hit like a girl."

I let out a small chuckle at her diss. "Alright, I deserve that." I lock my eyes with hers. "Carmen, you and I go back, right? I mean, I was the first person you made friends with when you moved here. We clicked instantly. I know you in and out. The same goes for you knowing me. So, I guess you knew what my reaction was gonna be…" I pause because of her quirked eyebrow. "What?"

"Ashley, has anyone told you that you suck when it comes to apologizing? I know that's what you're here for. Nostradamus knows it's what you're here for." Always the smartass, even when it's not the time. I see a sad look wash over her face. "I'm not gonna lie, kid. What you said hurt more than you what you did."

"I know. I'm sorry that I punched you. But, I'm truly sorry that I brought your family up, Carm. That was a low blow on my part and it was petty. I know how your views on relationships are and your pop's history was the only thing I could get back on you with because I felt betrayed. I didn't understand why you would pick Kyla to mess with." I put my hand over my heart because I'm feeling all these emotions slip out and I need to reign them in to continue. "But, still, I never meant to hurt you. I just want my best friend back." I plead sincerely.

"I never left. For the most part, I'm the same person. I don't want a rift between us, especially if it's over a girl. It's not like I chose her specifically, Ashley. It just happened." She shakes her head. "It's scary as shit for me if it's any consolation. I didn't tell you because I knew you would freak. I understand why you pulled out the family card; but.." She rubs her chin, trying to find the words. "Do you ever just get tired of it all?" I know exactly what she means as soon as she asks it.

"Yea, I admit I do. Maybe it's time for both of us to grow up."

She chuckles lightly. "I don't think we have much of a choice seeing as though we both have girlfriends now."

"Right?" I chuckle with her. "When did that happen?"

"I don't know, but..I kinda like it." She smiles with a distant look in her eyes.

"My sister cares about you alot." I add quietly.

"It may come as a shock, but the feeling is mutual. I care about Kyla, A." She says honestly.

I lock eyes with Carmen and hold the gaze. "I'm only gonna say this once, so listen up." She waits for me to continue. "I love you, Carmen as if you were my own blood sister." I heave out a heavy breath. "But, if you break Kyla's heart, I'll break your neck." She pales a little, then nods her head in understanding. She knows I'm not playing around.

"I'll let you if that happens, Ashley. It won't though." Now, it's my turn to nod my head. She shoots me a mischievous smirk. "If you break Spencer's heart, I'll use you as a punching bag."

I scoff in disbelief. "What? You don't even know much about her."

"True…but I like her a whole lot more than your boyband reject of an ex. That and if you mess this up, I'll have to hear Kyla complain about it to me." We both laugh. "Did Kyla tell you that the bitch tried to hit on her when we were at the club that night? I was about to clock her ass." I see her nose flare up a little.

"No..she didn't even tell me. You didn't even tell me." I accuse her. Jonica is back? Ah, fuck!

"Oh, well." Carmen flags it off. "It doesn't matter. She's history, right? Besides, Spencer is waaay hotter than her." She whistles.

"Hey! That's my girl you're talking about." Yea, my girl. I'll never get tired of saying it.

"You rather me talk about how hot your sister is instead?" She shoots me her lop-sided smile.

I think about it for a moment. "Point taken." We clink our bottles.

"How are things with you and her anyway? Have you found out if she's a natural blonde yet?" Carmen winks.

"No, not yet." I sigh.

She nods in sympathy. "Aww, dito. I bet it's torture, ain't it?"

"What? You damn right it is." I emphasize the words, but in all honesty, it's not that bad. On the other hand, I wouldn't turn Spencer down though if all of a sudden she wanted to get more..close.

"Don't feel too bad. I'm in the same boat.." She looks at me and I give her a troubled expression. "I mean…not that I don't mind or anything." She averts her gaze to her soda.

I keep a straight face before I bust into laughter. "Relax, C. Kyla told me how ya'll are NOT doing anything." She looks a little embarrassed that I know. "Let's keep it that way."

"For now.." She asserts with a mischievous smirk.

"Watch it, bitch. Don't push it." I cut my eyes at her; we chuckle and clink our glasses again in agreement. I don't mind waiting for Spencer, but I'll be damned if Kyla and Carmen get it on before we do.

Spencer's POV (3 days later)

No schoolwork due for now. Only one upcoming test that I've been studying for. No twin brother bothering me cause he's 'bustin it up with his "Aladdin"(his words, not mine). No little sister that will interrupt us cause she got her own. Just me and my little rock star. Alone in her beach house. Both of us in t-shirts and boy-shorts. Devouring Hawaiian-style pizza and watching From Dusk Til Dawn. Yes, a Quentin Tarantino classic. Another thing we have in common.

"So, Carmen's mom really hit you in the head with a sandal?" I bust out laughing.

"It's not funny, Spence. A _chancleta _has quite a sting to it." She says in a serious manner, then immediately joins in with my laughter. "If you mess with her Carmenita, you mess with her." She says in a horrible Latin accent; which makes us double over. "She's such a mama's girl."

"Poor baby." I run my fingers through her soft brown curls. "Do you want me to take the sting away?" I ask softly.

"Hmm, what did you have in mind?" Ashley crinkles her nose up in the way that I love. She thinks like a boy sometimes…ok, almost all the time.

"I can rub your scalp while we talk and watch the movie. But, I want you to teach me a song on guitar later."

"Deal." She says quickly. Damn, that was easy. "I didn't get head rubs as a child." She admits. She lays her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms around me. "Rub away." She snickers.

"You'll get all the ones you want with me." I genuinely smile. I tilt my head and look at her. She's definitely not the girl that I thought she was when I first met her.

It's calm for awhile as I work my magic on her head…I know how it sounds and I meant for it to sound that way. Hey! You try hanging out with Glen and Keys for a day and not think like they do afterwards. "So, did you buy anything from that adult store the other night?"

"Maybe.." I play it off. "Why do you ask?"

Her fingers start playing with my stomach and it makes me jump a little. "I was just curious to see what you like to use, that's all."

"Umm…well," I become silent, suddenly feeling tense to answer. I heave out a sigh. "I never used any, so it was a bit pointless."

"Oh.." Is all she says. It becomes awkwardly quiet. She stops me from rubbing her head. "Thank you."

"No problem." I hang my head down, but she pulls me up by my chin.

"Spencer, you know that everything is not for everybody, right?" I nod my head, still playing mute. "It's ok." She plants a tender kiss on my lips.

"I know." I reply. I wish that kiss was longer, but it doesn't seem like the right time to do it again. "Besides, I couldn't really look at much because it was about to close" I smirk a little. "That and one of the workers was trying to hit on me hard." Ashley is wearing an amused expression. "Like she wouldn't give up, babe."

"Well, was she hot?" Ashley quips. I bet she is curious to know regardless. "Keys didn't even mention this to me." She adds questionably.

"Really? I thought she would want the spotlight on her since she saved me from Jonnie Bravo." I joke.

"Who the hell?" Ashley starts chuckling and I again join her in the laughter. I love hearing from her laugh. Screw it. I love hearing damn near anything coming from her mouth. "Remind me to thank Keys."

"Yea, I think she did it for her own personal enjoyment. She said that Carmen doesn't like her either."

"Carmen and Keys know her?" She furrows her eyebrows. "Where from?"

"I don't know." I ask, trying to remember. I think she said that she was trying to hit on your sister and Carmen was pissed." I giggle a bit, but Ashley doesn't. She has a strange look on her face, almost resentful. "Ash, are you ok?" I place my hand on her face, she tenses up, then relaxes.

"Yea, yea, I'm fine." She places her hand over mine and gives me a slight smile. "That girl needs to get her ass whipped for even fathoming the idea of taking what's mine." She grabs me up and lays a big, wet kiss on me like the ones on cartoons.

"I kinda like you being all possessive." I admit. "It's a turn-on."

"Yea?" She lays a moist kiss on my neck.

"Most definitely." I tilt my head to give her more neck. "You know what turns me on even more?" I say seductively. Wow! Who knew I could be this type of girl?

"No, but I'm dying to find out." She looks me in the eyes, she's about to kiss me again, but I back away slightly. She has a confused look on her face.

"My girlfriend teaching me a song on one of her guitars." I bite my tongue in jest.

She pushes me off-balance. "Oh my god! You're the worst, baby blue." She looks slightly mad, but her expression turns to one of surprise once I slap her on the ass as she gets up. "Really though?" She asks with a pleasing smirk; probably because I'm becoming more comfortable with her.

"Hurry up and pick one so we can get started." I clap my hands in excitement. I've wanted to learn the guitar for like forever. "I already got a song in my head."

She grabs her Ibanez acoustic guitar and saunters back over to the bed. I think every lesbian should see a hot girl in minimal clothing carrying a guitar. Now, that's sex and Rock&Roll. "I wonder if you're this impatient in other things." I keep my eyes fixated on her as she tunes it up. "So, what do you wanna learn?"

"What?" I ask, snapping out of my trance.

Her brown eyes are dancing now seeing that I wasn't paying attention. "Focus, Ms. Carlin. This is a lesson here." She points her finger and grins. Please, teach me, Ms. Davies. "Now, I'll ask again. What song do you wanna learn?"

"How about.." My gaze locks with hers as she waits expectantly. "Ready For Love." This song that's been swimming through my head now sounds like my declaration. I don't want her to get weirded out by my selection.

She wears a pensive expression for a moment and smiles sweetly. "Sounds like an awesome first song to learn." She strums down on her guitar which produces a resonate sound. "I forgot some of the lines though, so you might have to sing some."

My face loses its color. I never sung in front of anyone; especially a girl that I might/ possibly be/ kinda falling for. "I don't know, Ashley. My shower has been my only audience." I laugh uneasily.

She gives me a sincere nod and hands me the guitar. "Spence, I won't judge you. I bet you sound fine." Ashley crawls on all fours slowly with a sexy smirk on her face, I observe her sway from side to side openly as her shorts ride up. Yes, I take a photograph for my spank bank, you know I did.

"If you say so." I watch as she takes off her t-shirt, forgetting that she has a bra on. Part of me wishes she didn't and that's the part of me I slap for being so naughty. Damn Catholic upbringing.

"I knew you would see things my way." She shoots me a smug grin before sitting right behind me, more like right up on my ass cause I feel her..well, _it_. I feel _it_ pressed up against me as well as her breasts on my spine. I have to preserve myself from shivering. "Now, I bet you're not worse than Kyla cause her singing is horrendous; in and out the shower."

"Well, that kinda helps." Her arms snake around mines and she directs my fingers to the 2nd and 6th strings. "Is this the first chord?"

"Yup, it's the Em9 chord. It's followed by the D chord, then C, and D again at the end. That's just for the chorus, baby blue. The bridge has a bit more handy work to it." She guides my fingers over the chords so I can get a feel for it, but all I can feel is her warmth on me. "I'll sing the 2nd part of it, I remember that much."

I clear my throat so it won't sound high-pitched. "Ok, let's do this." I say enthusiastically to cover up my nervousness. I strum the chorus out while her hands are top of mine helping me with the timing while she begins to sing. It's all about timing.

_"I am ready for love._

_Would you please lend me your ear?_

_I promise I won't complain._

_I just need you to acknowledge I am here."_

Ashley sounds so melodious; like an angel. Her hands don't leave mines as she positions my fingers on the new chords for the bridge. There's like 6 new chords, but surprisingly enough, I'm keeping up.

"Don't tense up, Spencer." She whispers hotly in my ear. "Relax your fingers, baby. Let the music take over." Mm, spoken like a true artist. Her fingertips are slightly clenched on my knuckles and I lose my voice for a minute. "I'm waiting on you. Sing for me." I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and my growing desire for her right now. Here goes nothing.

_"If you give me half a chance, I'll prove this to you._

_I will be patient, kind, faithful, and true_

_To a girl who loves music, a girl who loves art._

_Respects the spirit world and thinks with her heart."_

Oh my god! I can't believe I'm singing this with her. Sometimes, you just have to grab life by the gonads and just act, not think. I look over my shoulder a little, she has a big smile on her face. She lets go of my strumming hand and uses it to pull into me closer. My breath hitches a little. "Umm.." She lays little kisses on my shoulder to ease me, but it only heightens my edginess. "Do you think you can sing while I play? I mean, your voice does sound better than mines."

"If that's what you want, but I think our voices sound good together." She replies in a low tone. She leaves it hanging in the air as it soaks into my mind the hidden meaning..or am I reading into it too much? I start strumming again, listening to the rhythm, listening to Ashley win me all over again.

_"I am ready for love,_

_If you'll take me in your hands._

_I will learn what you teach_

_And do the best I can_

_I am ready for love_

_Here with an offering of_

_My voice, my eyes. My soul, my mind. _

_Tell me, what is enough to prove I am ready for love?"_

"I am ready." She states the last line instead of singing it. I lean my head back a little as I play the last chord of the song; ending it as well as our session. We don't say anything for a moment; just gaze in each other eyes. Hers have become a dark mocha color now. "You're a natural, baby blue."

"Thanks." I reply. She presses her lips together and lets out a light giggle. "What?" I ask baffled. What did I say to make her react like that.

"Nothing, it's just..I shouldn't have called you 'baby blue' at the moment." She takes the guitar out of my hands and drops it on the floor without looking. It makes a soft thud when it hits. "Your eyes are much murkier now." She displays a sexy smirk.

"..oh..umm..yay?" I mentally slap myself in the forehead. Yay? What the hell, me? Don't become a pile of goo now.

She lets out another giggle before she swings around to the front of my torso as if I'm a vine. Like 'She, Tarzan: I, Jane' style. "You're just too cute for words sometimes, you know that?"

"No. Really?" I ask her playfully; yet at the same time, I'm serious. Her breasts are at my eye level and I can't seem to concentrate on anything else.

She picks my chin up and winks. "Really." She assures me with a kiss as my arms wrap around her. Before I can deepen it, she pulls away. "Any word to describe this here," She implies; gesturing between us. "I don't think has been invented yet."

"You're a smooth talker, you know that?" I taunt her. She kisses me again and raises my shirt up in the process like she did earlier. She bites my bottom lip and tugs on it while her fingers make light scratches. Holy Mother of God! "Then, I'll stop talking."

This is where shit just got real. Am I able to handle it? Only one way to find out. I say nothing, I let my mouth and hands answer for me. I crash my lips into hers, my tongue goes on a mission to search and conquer. My hands fondle on what she was teasing me with earlier and I grip it to declare that I want her; I want to own her and I want to be owned by her.

I hear her gasp for air after our long, extensive kiss. I keep forgetting we have to come up for that. Her face is a mix of desire and astonishment. I have to admit, I'm a bit shocked at myself, too. She puts her hand on her chest. "Spencer, what the-?"

I silence her with another kiss, one not as needy and she melts in my arms. I lean my forehead onto hers. "I want to.." I murmur sensually. Actually, I'm saying it softly, but to her it might sound closer to that. "I want to take things to the next level."

She stares at me as if she was just told that…well, she has just been told what she wants to hear. She already has everything else, except for me…all of me. I gotta lay down the rules before we get ahead of ourselves. "Are you sure?" She asks in a calm expression; her eyes don't lie though. I can tell she wants me to say 'yes' and fears that I'll say the opposite of what she wants to hear. Not tonight, Davies.

"Yes, I'm sure." I answer with confidence. Well, as much confidence as I can muster up to this point. I'd be straight lying to myself if I said I wasn't a bundle of nerves right now. A bunch of 'what if''s' flying through my brain; they start to vanish once she kisses me again. It's gentle, yet it's making my body boil up in an instant. "Ashley, I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not nervous-" I begin to rant.

"I know." She cuts me off with light pecks on my neck and collarbone which creates butterflies in my stomach.

"Because…mmm..." That sound was produced from her sucking a little bit on one spot too long. "…I haven't had much experience with-"

"I know." She cuts me off again with more kisses. She takes my hands and places them on her hips. I instantly tighten my grip on them when she does this roll. She did that when we were dancing once, but it feels much better while she's sitting on top of me.

"And you've had more practice over ti-" My body is about to bitch-slap my anxiety in a minute.

"Spencer!" Her saying my name like that snaps me out of my inner turmoil. She takes my hands off her hips and holds them in her own. "Please relax. I promise I'll take my time." She pecks my knuckles lightly; I wonder if she gave any other girl this treatment, something tells me it's highly unlikely.

"Ok." I reply. I put her arms around my neck and kiss her deeply. She does another roll and I hear a low groan. I'm happy that we're having the same kind of reaction.

"Just let me know when you want to stop, ok?" She whispers on my lips._ If_ I want to stop should've been the correct sentence, but at least she's taking my feelings into consideration.

My hands keep running down her spine while hers are entangled in my hair. We stay like this for awhile, just kissing and fondling. Neither of us making a move for anything still covered. I want to, but…I just..fuck it, Carlin. Woman up!

"Can I take ur bra off?" I ask politely. Ashley gives me a sideways glance and then giggles.

"Baby, you don't have to ask. You can do whatever you like with me." She answers me in a lust-laced voice. I raise my eyebrow and lean in to kiss her again. My hand reaches up to her bra. I'm trying to unhook it, but it's being stubborn. Dammit!

"Shit!" I curse. She laughs at my eagerness. Finally, it breaks free and she shakes it off quickly. I guess I'm not the only one that's eager. My mouth drops at the sight of her bare chest. I haven't seen many breasts up close, but Ashley's breasts are like the perfect size, perfect shape, just perfect all around for me and me only. "Whatever I like, right?" I ask looking from her eyes to her breasts.

"I didn't stutter." Ashley counters. I don't make a move; I just absorb the sight before me. My body is screaming at me to do something. Touch them, Pinch them, Lick, Suck, Do something, bitch! "They're not gonna please themselves, Spencer…unless" She takes one of her hands and lays it on her stomach. "you want to watch me.." she doesn't finish the sentence, but instead just inches her hand up her torso while keeping her eyes on me.

I grab her hand before she reaches it and replace it with my own. No way am I backing out so early in the game. I kiss her hungrily while I palm her breasts. Ashley sighs pleasurably in response. I start to tweak her nipples playfully; going in sync with our intertwined tongues. A few moments later, I move my head down and flick my tongue hesitantly on her bud; it gets even more erect. She starts rocking back and forth leisurely on my thigh as I move my tongue to the other one, putting more force. "Spencer, your tongue…mmm." She moans out. I'd ask if she likes it, but one, I already know the answer and two, my mouth is full at the moment. "My turn." She pushes my head away slightly. "Can I take this off of you, baby?"

Ashley takes off my shirt in one swift motion and throws it over shoulder before I'm able to respond. My face heats up once I look into her now blackish-brown eyes. "You didn't wait for me to say yes." I inform her. I let my hands drop to her thighs and make patterns in them; I can feel the heat between her legs as I push my thigh to connect with it. It makes my own center ache and my heart speed up more than it already it is.

"Your eyes gave me the answer I was looking for." She gives me a nose-crinkling smile before she looks down at 'the girls'. "No bra, huh? I knew you could be naughty, baby blue."

I smile shyly; it must've slipped my mind to not wear a bra underneath this shirt…yea, right! Ashley gives me a quick kiss on the lips before going straight for them with her mouth; it makes me gasp for air. "Ohhh..." I groan out as she bites lightly on my hardened nipples, I hear her moan, too in reply.

"You like it when I bite 'em, baby?" Ashley inquires with her sultry voice, taunting me.

"Mmmhmm." I answer her while nodding my head. I feel that ache grow stronger as she pushes me down on the bed. She continues to assault my breasts with her hands and tongue. I can tell that she's been wanting to do that for the longest now because she's not stopping. "Ashley." I call out to get her attention...I don't want her to have me just yet.

"You are so damn beautiful." She professes wholeheartedly; her hands are at the hem of my shorts. "I love how you say my name, Spencer."

"No, Ashley." I say with assertiveness; her brows furrow down. "I want to touch you." I smile boldly.

"Oh, you want to be in control right now?" I sit up rapidly and flip her over on her back; her eyes bug out at my quick reflexes.

"Yea." I kiss her slowly as I lay myself on her. "I steer, remember?" She moans in my mouth when I start rotating my hips into her. I don't know what possessed me to do it, maybe it's her fingernails lightly scratching my back. Damn, I should've taken advantage of that 2 for 1 sale on the strap-ons like Keys did. I attack her breasts like she did mines minutes earlier, but I have the upper hand since I'm on top.

"I knew you had some tricks up your sleeve." She complements, I grin modestly as I move my hand to her hips. "Spencer, don't make me wait." She pushes her lower half up; hoping I get the hint. Her shorts stretch enough that I am able to slide my hand in there; yet I don't cause I have a sudden case of cold feet. Ashley notices it in an instant. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.." I glance at her. "Would you believe me if I told you-?"

"Yes." She answers before I get a chance to finish, she's been cutting me off the whole trying to silence my fears. "But, I'm waiting for you to finish what you started." She clasps her hand over mine and guides me down to the heat. My breath gets caught in my throat when I feel how wet she is. Glen would call it 'a thunderstorm'..ok, not the time to be bringing up my brother. "Just like music; take it over. It already wants you to." She whispers that part so sexy that I lose it right then and there.

I feel around and realize that she has a Brazilian wax done. The little strip of hair feels soothing on my fingertips. I let my middle finger slide against her clit…yes, for this moment right here, I will use the word, clit. I don't give a damn how dirty it sounds cause this is fucking hot. I play with it for a little, only applying enough pressure to get her even more wound up, but not get off. "Does this feel good to you, Ashley?" My voice sounds deep and needy. I really want to know.

"Spencer, I swear you're a tease to the fullest." She gives me a vindictive glare, then licks her swollen lips. "But, it feels so fucking good." I tilt my head and grin. I let my index and middle finger slide down a little lower to her slit. The lips on her face aren't the only ones swollen and I know I have to be dripping by now. "You don't want to see what you're conquering?" She smirks.

"No." I reply as I enter two fingers in her. "I wanna leave some things veiled for another time." She doesn't have a comeback because the passion has taken over. I can't believe I'm the one making her feel this way, that I'm capable of it. Nonetheless, her moans and movements are telling me that I am. "Damn." I hear myself say as I watch her enjoy it. I'm on Cloud 9 right now. Ashley kisses me again as I curl my fingers up. I don't wanna tease her anymore than I should.

"Oh, yes! Just like that, Spence." I speed up after I feel her walls starting to contract around my fingers, she's riding them like a wave. "I'm so close." She breathes out; I almost climax by her announcement. Moments later, Ashley's eyes roll back and she cries out my name in elation as her walls constrict my fingers. She makes the 'O' face look like a masterpiece. I stay inside her until her orgasm fades out; even though I wanna get up and do a little 'I made Ashley Davies cum' dance. "Well…" Her face is flushed and she has a film of sweat over her body. I watch her chest heave up and down as her breathing regulates. "That didn't suck at all."

I go into a fit of giggles. "I'm glad it didn't." I slowly pull out of her and flex my fingers. "I was under a lot of pressure." I joke. Hmm, I wonder what she tastes like. Probably the pineapples we had earlier or something else naturally sweet.

"Ohh, so, you got jokes now, huh?" She flips me back over and rests on top of me. "We'll see." She does a cute, wicked laugh.

"Ashley." I implore. "I can stop you at anytime, you know."

She kisses me deep and tenderly while she her hands moves from my face down to my breasts again. "I know..." She tugs on them with her fingertips and I do a low groan. I try to press my legs together for some sort of relief, but she holds them open with her own. "You're not going to stop me, Spencer. Not at this point, I'm returning the favor."

She massages my girls for a few more minutes, alternating between palm and fingertips. I think she knows she has me on edge. "Uhh.." My heart skips a couple beats as I feel her hand near my waistband again, anxiously waiting for me to give the say so.

"Tell me what you want, Spencer." She orders in a throaty voice

"Umm…" I feel her hand go in without waiting for an answer again. She's right; I'm not gonna stop her, but I'm scared a little still. She senses my hesitation and places a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Spencer, please, don't be afraid. I'll make you feel so good. I promise." She whispers vulnerably in my ear, I close my eyes at the sound. "I won't look either if you don't want me to." My dark blue lock with her soft browns. I see they are filled with lust…and what I think might be…love. "Just, please, trust me."

"Ok." I give in. That's all it took. She goes right to work on my center, drenched as all hell; it's been waiting for her.

"God, you're so wet." She confirms in a passionate voice. She licks her lips as her fingers are doing this figure 8 move on my hood, which makes me buck my hips for more contact.

"Uh-huh." I moan out. She's driving me insane; I don't know if I can hold on as long as she did.

"Tell me what you want me to do." Her two main guitar-playing fingers push past my slit and inside. She's playing me like a slow, delicate tune. No, wait, correction! She's playing out my fantasies.

"I...I.." I keep stuttering. All I can hear is my voice and hers in my mind saying the request: Let go.

"Tell me, Spencer." Ashley begs; she does this wave motion inside of me with her fingers while nibbling on my ear.

I look her straight in the eye and whisper on her lips. "I want you to make me come." Lord, help me, but I do. I wanna come so bad. Ashley does as I ask. She thrusts in and out of me with such speed and such softness that I call out my saviour's name. Oh, I call out Jesus, too cause he has blessed me with her.

"Ashley.." I call out again as she sucks and nips at my neck, then my breasts. She's still pumping in and out of me. Faster and faster until I feel the trembles coming. "Ohhh…ooh." This has to be a dream, it feels too good to be real.

"Lemme hear you, babe, don't be shy." She urges, she's rubbing my nub as quick as a pace as her fingers. She curls them up and bites down on my neck to stifle her own moan.

I'm so done for.

"Fuuuuuck!." I yell out in passion. My whole body washes over in ecstasy. I didn't believe I would ever feel this way again..and better! I open my eyes and I see her wearing a victorious smile. She pulls out of me slowly and places light kisses all over me. This must be heaven. We smile at each other while we wrap ourselves in a tight embrace.

"That was the best guitar lesson ever." Ashley finally speaks; we laugh. She pulls me in closer. "Thank you, Spencer." Thank me? No, thank you, Ms. Davies. My two-year dry spell of no sexual contact is finally over.

"For what?" I ask puzzled.

"For trusting me." She kisses my forehead. Aww, I think I might cry.

"Thank you for giving me something to trust in." I grab her face gently and kiss her. That kiss is filled with what's to come and what I want from her in the end. I know she got the message as she looks deep into my eyes.

"I know this may not happen for awhile again, but when it does…I'll possess your heart and your body." She declares sincerely.

"1 out of 2 ain't bad for now." I kiss her again and she smiles while holding me tight. We drift off to sleep; both of us bare-chested. Feeling like we both got a lesson taught to us.

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**Wooooow! I believe this is the longest chapter I ever wrote (approx. 29 pgs on Word document) and Kymen isn't the couple getting it on!HA! Ok, so like I said, I lost what I originally wrote to reviewers; I do however have replies for two of ya'll and it's only because they were two of the most recent. So…**

**Spashleyfan21****: Thank you for saying that my story is "the SHIT". I feel like a proud lover that just put in work, if you know what I mean. ;) lol! I hope you like Keys' antics in this chap. Thanks for the 10 stars, also.**

**Raissa92****: Gracias otra vez por tu revision. De veras? Tu piensas que yo hablo (actualmente, escribo) espanol bien? Yay! jajaja :) Yo entiendo sobre ****frances****. Entre los dos idiomas extranajeras, espanol es mas facil. Si, me gustan bachata, merengue y salsa. Me encantan Aventura, Xtreme, DLG, etc. Puedo bailar a la salsa. ^_^ Ojala que te hubieras gustado este capitulo. Me hace enojar cuando no puedo escribir mas pronto, la vida me sigue ocupada.**

**Thanks again for the reviews, ppl. I would give each one of you a hug if I could. Oh, and thank you to the people that are putting this as their favorite story/story alert. It astonishes me. In fact, I just received another one yesterday. Haha! Another in fact, I'ma shout her out: Dakadakara (that's a mouthful) , thank you for putting this as your story alert. I checked your page out, too and I have to say, I'm intrigued. ^_^**

**What else? I'm thinking about speeding the timeline up, like making it summer so they can go places and get into some things. Tell me if that's do-able cause I need to end this story sometime. I apologize for the lateness, I'm just gonna stop giving myself deadlines cause that only makes me procrastinate and get frustrated, I'll update whenever I can and hopefully, the whole reverse psychology thing of me doing will that will make me update quicker than I have been doing in the past**

**Random Sidenotes: 1. Am I the only one that thinks Mona is 'A' on Pretty Little Liars and why was that the summer finale? *shakes fist in the air* 2. Did you think Degrassi did its job with Adam's transgender story line? I hope that there's more to come on that. 3.Who saw Kanye West's 'Power' video-I'm sorry..I meant moving painting? That thing..listen..I'll just say if you haven't seen it, please do and lemme get your thoughts on it. 4. I never heard 'smush' so many times on The ****Jersey****Shore****. That and those grenades were all over the boys in the hottub. Lmao the chicken cutlet breast pad floating around. Haven't seen the newest ep yet. 5. Anybody see StepUp 3D? Gimme ****ur**** verdict on that jawn. 6. When is ABDC coming back on? =( I just need for the East Coast to win just once. 7: What the hell is Sookie? What is she? Ahhh! It's driving me nuts. And that's my sidenotes. Until next time, folks. ^_^**

**Songs used: Pretty Boy Swag by Soulja Boy; Addiction by Ryan Leslie feat. Cassie; Ready For Love by ****India**** Arie. The line that Madison is singing in the beginning is from the song No Games by Serani**


	21. RELUCTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE

**So...I've been trying to say that I'm putting this story on hiatus until further notice for awhile now. But, every time I do, my internet goes out or some other weird thing. I gotta do this though. There's too many issues going on in my life right now and I can't take care of this at the same time. I promise this will be finished, I'm not gonna give up on it. It will be awesome; yet I just have to accept that I can't do everything at once. *sigh***

**Thanks for the love with the reviews; the alerts, etc. Don't hate me too much. See 'youse' soon. Peace. **


	22. Dealings With The Triple K

**Oh, my deities! It feels so 'S-O G-DOUBLE O-D' good to be back at it again, my fanfictioners! Lol! Did ya miss me a lil while I was gone? *No Drizzy* Hahaha! *cricket sound* Ahem.. sorry a thousand times over for the hiatus, but thanks beaucoup for those that are sticking with this til the end. I very much appreciate it. :) Well, I'll just get right to the chapter then. Hope I didn't lose my touch. *crosses fingers* Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own SON or the songs used; but I do own a background of Amber Rose on her stud swag on my ASUS. :)**

* * *

Kyla's POV

_"Soft lips are open, knuckles are pale._

_Feels like you're dying, you're dying._

_You, your sex is on fire._

_Consumed with what's to transpire. _

_Hot as a fever, rattling bones. _

_I can just taste it, just taste it._

_If it's not forever, if it's just tonight. _

_Oh, we're still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest."_

Don't ask me why Kings of Leon is playing in the background right now; Carmen's Ipod is on shuffle. For the past month or so, it always starts off like that. We would just be relaxing, either watching a movie or talking about different topics while music is playing. After a little bit, there's a look here, a smile there, a few light pecks might ensue until we're both shirtless..and bra-less for that matter.

"Come on, Ky. Please." Another wave of pleasure hits me as she pleads hotly in my ear.

"Carm.." Her hand slides down my waist, tickling me in a good way. She's hovered over me right now. She dips her head to suck on my pulsepoint which makes my hips buck into hers.

"Please, hadita." She pleads again while she's attacking my neck, my hands find her nipples and I squeeze them softly; I feel her bars underneath them. Did you know that your nipples get hard _much_ quicker when you have piercings in them? I do. It's like a magic trick. A very erotic magic trick. Instead of a rabbit coming out, I get a groan and a pelvic thrust out of the deal.

"You have to leave for work, like now." I state firmly. I'm trying to distract her before things get further. Hell, I'm trying to distract myself in the process. It's not like I don't want them to get further, just not now. "It's a Friday night, Keys is gonna need an extra hand."

"I can be late; she won't mind." She gives me a deep kiss and we're back at square one. Can I just say that the way Carmen kisses makes you feel like this is what your lips are made for; to kiss Carmen Sanchez. At least, I know mines are. "Besides, my hand is in use right now." She murmurs that last part in my ear before she unzips me and slides her hand further down, I feel her fingers stroking me on the outside of my panties.

"We can't do this, babe." She applies more pressure to the wet spot. Of course, I have a wet spot, it's Carmen touching me. She likes to do that frequently; it's her way of checking…well, it's pretty obvious, right? My eyes are closed and I know she's watching me; watching my face and body react to her. It turns her on. It turns me on that it turns her on. We're just two turned-on chicks at the moment. Her fingers feel so wonderful right there; it's like she's studied all this.

"I'll take the night off for you." Carmen smirks playfully, it makes me giggle for a moment considering her shuffle is now on that song.

"Unless you can sing like Lloyd, my panties aren't coming off." I joke; she pouts and looks me in the eyes. I'm pretty sure I'm the only girl that she's been with that has not given it up in the first week; let alone the past 6 weeks. This is a new obstacle for her; to have to wait and I'm trying to make it easy without being easy, you know?

"Kyla, come on, just for a little bit." She kisses me again; her tongue maneuvers like her fingers, all slow and teasing. "What if I just put the tips in and that's it?" I chuckle a little bit and shake my head. Man, if Keys and Ashley could see Carmen begging just to dip her fingertips in me right now, they would be laughing their asses off…well, maybe not Ashley so much. She's comfortable with us dating now, but I don't know if she's comfortable with us acting like some horny teenagers around her.

"Mmm.." That sound was produced by Carmen's mouth going from mines to my breasts. Same maneuver; even better feeling. I let her continue as my body and heart can duke it out. "Carm, if I let you put the tips of your fingers in, then we'll cross the point of no return."

"What would be the harm in that?" She grins devilishly; I roll my eyes.

"The harm is I don't wanna cross it yet." I grab her hand from out of my pants and she frowns knowing that fun time is over. "We need to stop."

She gives me a long, disappointed look. "Aite, Kyla." If it's one thing I respect about Carmen, it's that she does as I say when I mean it. Although, I don't like telling her this cause I've been getting that same look more frequently each time. She rolls off of me to the other side of my bed. We're both quiet now; staring at the ceiling and not the other person. I glance over and seems like she's having a conversation with herself in her head.

"You do know I care about you, right?" She asks out of nowhere. I'm stunned by her question.

"Um...well, yeah, I know that." She scrunches her eyebrows at my answer. I guess it didn't come out the way she wanted it to. I clear my throat. "Yes, Carmen, I know you care about me."

"A lot." She adds looking me with her solemn gray eyes; I look away from her gaze "And the feeling is mutual, right?"

Ha! Much more than mutual. My head snaps right back into her direction. "You know I do." She turns on her side and kisses me softly. My heart starts pulsating just like another organ.

"So, what's the problem?"

"With what?"

"Us. Intimately."

"Nothing."

"Exactly." I give her a pointed look. I know what she means, I'm not stupid. Doesn't stop me from questioning her though.

I fold my arms and stare her down. "Exactly what?"

She rubs her cheek for a moment. "I mean, we are not doing anything. No fingers, no tongue, nothing. We're not even grinding." I look down after she admits how she feels about it. I knew it would come up, it was only a matter of time. She looks guilty and holds my face to meet her gaze "I'm fine with waiting, Ky. Really, I am. It's just getting harder, ya know? I mean my ovaries are turning as blue as your sheets." She states jokingly. It's an attempt to make me laugh. It doesn't work; that and I know that it's impossible to have blue ovaries from not getting laid. She lets out a sigh. "Just tell me, is there a reason that we haven't had some type of sex yet?"

"There isn't one, Carmen. I'm just not all the way ready to go…all the way." I almost confused myself with that and by the looks of it, so is Carmen. "It will happen when it happens." I don't want to tell her the actual reason or more so reasons cause if I do, I'm afraid it will never happen. Like wishing on a star or something and then telling someone about it, the magic is lost. "I just need you to be patient." I give her a kiss back; just as softly. "For me." She gives me a look of understanding.

"I am patient, Kyla, when I want to be." She smiles. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere. Believe that." I don't say anything; I just smile back. That's one of the things that's always in the back of my mind, but it's nice to be reassured by her again and again.

"You should get going." I reply, Carmen raises an eyebrow; obviously not happy with me. Am I being fickle right now? Must be the past few weeks, I had a lot on my mind. And when I say a lot, I mean my girlfriend. I look around trying to find my bra, but Carmen is holding it right in front of me. "Thanks."

"No problem." She says with a sullen expression. Ok, she's pissed; now from my tone and her frustration. She tries to leave quickly, but I stop her.

"I'm sorry." I give her a hug and a kiss; she gives me one back, but I don't feel her desire for it.

"Don't apologize. It's cool, ma." Ma. I hate when she calls me that like I'm just some girl on the street. I'm more than her to that, aren't I? "I'll see you later tonight, ok?"

"Ok." Before she walks off, I grab her and give her a longer, deeper kiss. This time, she reacts how I want her to. I have my arms around her waist while she has her hands on my lower back. I want her. God, do I want her. But, I'm not prepared for her yet. The kiss goes a little further and I feel her hands slide down to the front end of my pants. Not again. I guess I can turn her on and off like a switch. "Carm..don't." I implore, but I then realize she's just zipping it back up. "Oh.." I now feel stupid as hell for thinking what I just thought.

She shakes her head and laughs lightly. "Relax, hadita. I won't touch you there until you're begging for it." I laugh a little at the possibility of it happening that way. She wouldn't torture me like that. "I'm just keeping it safe. For you and for me." She kisses me on the cheek. "Bye."

"Bye, baby." The door shuts and I fall back on to my bed. My mind wanders on every make-out session in the past week; which is a lot. In fact, I went through two Burt's Beeswax lip balms. Don't act like your lips don't get chapped while you're kissing, snogging, whatever you wish to call it. We're all human, we all get dry lips after awhile. Making out with your significant other is a full-time job and I've been putting in overtime.

As I lay here thinking about how I want those lips of hers in lower regions, I realize I'm still in my damp draws. Honestly, there was no point in her zipping me back up since I'm just gonna take it off. I know why she did it and I find it to be a sweet gesture, even if it's not practical right now. I think a nice, warm shower will do me well_..I bet Carmen will do you well, too, if you just let her hit._ Oh my god, brain, not right now. Shut the hell up. I start to climb out of my pants when my door swings wide open. Does anybody knock anymore?

"Hey Kyla, did you wan-Oh!" I see Spencer stand there with a look of shock and embarrassment as she sees me in just a bra and bikini bottoms. "I'm sorry, I should've knocked first." She blushes profusely. "I'll just go-"

I start the sight of her. Ashley and I have the same build, so it shouldn't be too much of a shock..I'll admit she has better abs then me, but I got better hips "Spence, it's ok, as long as you weren't Glen cause all I saw was a flash of blond." She laughs along. Besides, we're practically family now." I wink, she blushes even more. "You mind shutting my door though?"

"Yea, sure." She closes it quickly. "You're probably tired of people just barging in." She jokes, I roll my eyes. I really should lock my door more. "I just saw C left, so I thought you weren't busy."

"Excuse me, did you just call her 'C'?"

"Yea, I hear Ash call her that a lot, I guess it just grew on me."

"Only they call each other that." I point out. I walk over and grab my towel. Where's my bathrobe?

"Since you're not tied up right now, Ashley and I wanted to know if you wanted to go shopping with us and catch a movie." She looks at me sideways. "We still gotta get our costumes."

I look back at her in the same fashion. "What are you looking at, Carlin?" I ask with the hands-on-the-hips stance.

"Nothing, it's just.." She gestures her hand to my body. "I see why Carmen can't stay away for too long." She tilts her head and smiles. Oh, boy, this looks like the start of Keys' fantasy. Or maybe even, Carmen's…I wonder if Carmen has had a threesome. If I have to think about it, then 9 times out of 10, she has.

I throw her a smirk and hit her with my towel. "Watch it, Spencer. You can't handle two Davies sisters now. Besides, Carmen might hex you."

"Oh, you're too…you for me anyways, Kyla." She flags me off. What's that suppose to mean?

"Whatever. As tempting as it is to go shopping, I already made plans."

"Jeez, Kyla, she just left. Can you go a few hours without fucking like rabbits?" I can't tell if that was a serious question or not.

"For your information, I have plans with your brother. Glen wants to hang out, I gotta meet him in two hours. It seems like everybody has been with their significant other." I point my finger at her. "And I know you're not talking. I hear moans through the walls." Seriously, it's like we have the thinnest walls in L.A.

Spencer turns beet red. "I don't know what you're referring to."

"Oh, really?" I raise an eyebrow. "You don't remember 'Oh, Ashley! Fuck, right there! Yes, Ashley, strum me like a guitar!'? Ghosts don't sound like a porno." I joke, she keels over in amusement.

"I wouldn't say something like that. At least, not the guitar part." She murmurs the last line. "Maybe these walls are thin."

"Ya think?" A moment goes by as I put my bathrobe on. I found it; Carmen never hangs shit up.

"If so, how come we haven't heard you and Carmen?" She questions.

I hesitate; not really wanting to go into detail with Spencer about our (lack there of) sex life. A knock on the door saves me. "It's open."

In walks Ashley and her gaze goes from me to Spencer. "Damn, sis. First, you take my best friend away from me. Now, this?" She shakes her head in mock-sadness. "I'm divorcing you, Kyla."

"Oh, please, you know damn well, blondes aren't my thing." I retort.

Spencer gets up and slaps Ashley playfully on the arm. "Aww, is my baby jealous?"

"A little bit." She pouts. "Are you gonna make it up to me?"

"With pleasure." Spencer grins and grabs my sister up into a hungry kiss. Yes, in front of me. Yes, it's a tad disgusting, but they're infatuated with each other. So, it's also an 'aww moment.

I hear Ashley let out a pleasing 'ooh' and that's where I clear my throat loudly. "Ooook, I do not want a sex scene done in my bedroom. So, take 10 steps down the hall and go back in yours."

"Why? You'll still hear us." Ashley chuckles.

I think about it for a moment. "True. Just go on without me, but bring me back some feathers." Ashley gives me a 'wtf' look. "It's for my costume, dammit."

"Sure it is." Spencer mutters humorously. "Role playing, perhaps?"

I shake my head. "Ashley, what did you do to Spencer? She was such a nice girl."

"Nothing, it's what she has done to me." She gives Spencer a kiss on the cheek.

"Aww, Ash." Ashley gives her that Davies nose-crinkling smile, I still haven't perfect that yet.

"Aww, get the fuck out." I add mockingly.

"Alright, alright, we're going." Ashley escorts Spencer out the door and is about to close mine, but peeks her head back in. "I'll leave you to go masturbate now since you're sexually frustrated."

I cut my eyes at my sister. "You know not long ago, you were doing that."

"I still do it, I just have two extra hands now." She winks and slams my door. Bitch. She knows me and Carmen haven't been intimate yet. She's asked me on more than one occasion cause she thinks Carm would lie to her about it. But, the way things are going, Carmen might talk to her anyway just to let out her irritation. Before that happens, I have to sit down with Ashley and ask for her help. Hopefully, we share other certain traits.

I go to the shower and turn the water on, almost gettting lost in the thought of having Carmen spread-eagle on the wall of it. I'm pretty sure I can hold her weight up. I know that sounds freaky, but when you're not being active, your mind starts creating different scenarios. But, it's not just sexual with me and her. She invades my thoughts period; now more than ever and there's a reason why.

"I think I'm in love."

"Say what?" A sideways glance is thrown, then snickering.

"But, you've only been dating for like, what, six weeks?"

"Well…yea…but-it's just that…dammit! I just feel like I'm falling; hard and fast, it's kinda scary."

"It should be; which is why you should chill and think this through."

"I agree."

"Think it through? Have you seen who I'm dealing with here?" Eyes start to roll "I mean that black hair, those piercing eyes, that tan body, that-"

"Glen, you better not say Nasir's 'little..Nasir'." Keys threatens stopping to wipe away some of the access ink." I am not trying to lose my appetite before Chi-Chi and Zahra gets back with the platters."

"Yea, you don't want Keys to mess up on the rest of your tat, twink." I tease. I adjust the video camera to show Glen giving me the finger.

"Trust me, ladies. It's anything but little." He sends a wink my way. Boys and their toys.

"And stop calling me that. Haven't I proved that I'm not a twink yet? I'm getting tatted up."

"No." Keys and I say in unison, then laugh.

Glen has decided that it's time for him to man-up a bit. This was a spur of the moment decision on Glen's part after we got the props for his costume. I already had most of mines since it hit close to home. So, here we are at Keys' shop. I figured if he survived getting his ears pierced last week, he can survive the feeling of a hundred cats scratching his skin repeatedly. If he can't survive, well, at least I have it documented on film.

"It doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would." Glen glances at his arm and smiles.

"That's because I didn't put the color in yet. It burns a little." Glen looks at Keys in fear. She stops tatting and messes up his curly top. "I'm messing with you, G.C. Relax! Did ya get his face on that one, Ky-Ky?"

"Yea, I got it." I give her the ok sign. Where is Carmen and Zahra with our food?

"Fuck both of you, guys, man." He chuckles. Probably laughing at the audacity of that ever happening cause it won't. I thought he would get something dumb like a roaring tiger with an outstretched paw. I think guys that get that are overcompensating. The same goes for girls that get a dripping or a partly bitten fruit as a tat. "What you think?" He asks me.

"It's looking good."

He grins in agreement. "When are you getting one done?"

"Umm, I don't know actually." I thought of getting one myself, but I don't want it just to have it. I like what Carmen did with hers and how meaningful it was. "I wouldn't know what I would get."

"How bout 'Property of Carmen Sanchez'?" Keys suggests winking.

"Ooh! BURN!" Glen adds. They fist bump as I flag them both off.

"This is coming from two people that are just as sprung as I am?" I raise an eyebrow. They look at each other and shut up. "That's what I figured."

"Technically speaking, I'm single." Keys states nonchalant. Glen and I share a look.

"Bullshit." We reply.

"What? I am!" Keys insists. She wipes off some of the green residue from Glen's arm. "The shamrock part is almost done, G.C. We still hittin up the ball tomorrow tonight, right? That thing gonna be crazy. I bet a bunch of the cunts are gonna dress up like Lady Gaga."

"Don't try to change the subject, Marquita."

"Yea." I back him up. I wanna know what's up. Oddly enough, Keys has been secretive with what may (or may not) be going on with her and Zahra. Glen knows, but he won't tell me cause he's been dickmotized by Nasir. His words, not mine. Yea, go ahead & shudder a little. I did.

"Kyla, don't try to get all grown on me now that you had some Carmen in your system." She winks. What is she talking bout?

"Huh?"

"You and Chi-Chi ate the box already, right?" Keys asks knowingly, then grins. 'Ate the box?' Who uses that? "I mean, at least that's what I heard." I furrow my eyebrows in anger. What the hell is Carmen telling her?

"Oh, my God! Ya'll had sex and didn't tell me?" Glen shouts out of nowhere. "Kyla, you naughty girl, you. How was it? Was it everything I fantasized about?" Ok. Ew!

"Glen, we didn't have sex and neither of your damn business if we have." I snap. He gives me a pitiful look while Keys laughs uncontrollably. "What the hell are you laughing at?"

"Easy, Ky-Ky. Don't bite my head off, aite? I'm laughing cause I know ya'll didn't do shit cause Carmen hasn't come in bragging about it to me. But, I wanted one of ya'll to at least admit it." Well, that was kind of a cruel trick to play on me. Would Carmen actually lie about us having sex just to prove she still has it? Will she even tell Keys about our first time? Maybe I would like it to be private. I gotta ask her myself. "It was just a joke. I apologize, shawty." It's silent for a couple minutes before I put the camera down and walk outside to wait for Carmen and Zahra to come back. I know Keys keeps glancing at me to see if I'm alright. Either that or just checking out my ass.

Ten minutes later, Carmen's jeep pulls up, but I see Zahra driving it with some dark-skinned dude in the passeneger seat. Who is this guy?

"See, Zah, that's what I like. My girl is waiting right at the door for her woman." Carmen beams as she gets out of the back seat. "Hey, baby. I haven't seen you for a whole three hours. Dame un beso." I let her kiss me even though I'm a little upset cause well, it's Carmen. Do I have to explain again why her lips are so addictive? I didn't think so. Wait! Damn, Kyla, you're supposed to be semi-mad, remember?

"Carmen, we need to talk."

"What I do?" She gives me the puppy dog expression. The puppy dog expression with her gray eyes is a killer. Almost breaks me down, almost. Carmen looks inside and I turn around just to see Keys do these weird hand signals and go back to finishing Glen's tat.

"What did she tell you about me?"

"I just need us to talk, alright?" I reply.

"Kyla, hey, I'd like you to meet someone." Zahra interrupts us; she's all smiles. "This is Malik, my boyfriend."

I arch my eyebrow at the word 'boyfriend' cause every other week, I see her with a different guy.

"Hello, Malik."

"As-salaam alaikom, sista." Malik greets me. He's cute; except for his beard. It's too scruffy for my liking. He kinda resembles Keys; same height and build. Although, Keys doesn't have tattoos on her face or a Caesar fade.

"Um, nice to meet you."

"You interested in some smell-goods? I got one called 'Menage a trois'." He pulls out a capsule that looks like it's filled with purple soap.

"Some what?"

"He means body oils, baby." Carmen rolls her eyes at the guy.

"Oh." Why is it spelled 'Minaj a twa' on the bottle?

"I got others." He pulls out a couple more capsules. One red, one green. "

"She's not interested, man."

"Do you speak for her?" He asks curtly: Zahra looks somewhat embarrassed. Carmen glares at him and looks like she's about to go off on him.

"No, she doesn't speak for me." I answer quickly. Carmen is still glaring at him; Zahra looks somewhat embarrassed. "I'm not interested, but thank you."

"Malik, come on, I'll set you up." Zahra says breaking up the tension. I'm guessing he's adding some more ink to his…where is he gonna add it? He's tatted up more than Keys is.

"Yea, tell akh, he can't loiter while he's inside." Carmen replies in a saucy tone; eyeing him up and down. We turn to see them walk in together; Keys eyes the boy with distaste. Zahra looks at her with defiance while Malik is sitting in Zahra's chair; oblivious to it all. Glen's gaze goes back and forth from Keys to Zahra and crack up at the awkwardness.

"Mmm, mm, mm." Carmen whistles. "Glad I'm not in there. Keys looks like she wants to kick the dude out."

"Where did she meet this one at?" I ask Carmen once I saw there was no bloodshed in the shop.

"Man, she picked this pendejo up on Crenshaw Blvd." She shakes her head. "He was selling oils there, too. I mean, I don't knock his hustle, but don't push your luck on everybody. He tried to sell me one called 'First Lady' while we were in my car; saying I can help support America by buying it."

"So, what is Zahra doing with him?"

"I don't know."

"Why isn't Keys doing anything about it?"

Carmen sighs. "Again, I don't know. Keys hasn't been talking to me about it. She keeps shit bottled in…" She sighs. "unlike you, who wants to give me your piece of mind, so let's hear it."

I shoot her a half-smile. "I thought you would try to get your way out of talking like last time."

"Well, I'm learning to just face the music, right here and now."

"Good." I say nothing after that. She's waiting for me to speak, but I don't know if I should say anything now. Keys was just joking, after all. But, I have to know in the long run what Carmen would do with certain information.

"Come on, come take around the block with me, clear our heads a little." She takes my hand and we start walking. My heart buzzes a little bit by this simple, yet sweet gesture of just walking around the block. It's such a throwback. "So, what did she say that has you wildin, Ky?"

I look her in the eyes and she looks back at me with concerm. "?"

"Qué qué? You said that too fast, baby, even for me." She chuckles, my cheeks heat up slightly.

"I said 'Would you lie about us having sex just to prove that you're still the shit?"

Her expression is a bemused one. "Um, no. That ain't me. I'm not that insecure and I don't need to lie on my toto."

"Ok…what about after you and I have sex?"

"What about it?"

"I wanna know if you'll brag about it to Keys and Ashley."

She gives me an amused expression. "I'm not bragging to A. I'm not trying to get smacked up again, so that's a negative."

"And Keys? Will you tell her?"

"Well, I might mention it." I cut my eyes at her. "What? I'm being honest here."

"I know ya'll are used to sharing your…'achievements', but for me, I don't want to be the talk in the shop, alright?" She looks at me as if I'm not making sense and maybe, I'm not. Maybe, I'm taking this virginity thing too far.

"You don't trust me, Kyla, to do the right thing." She says it as a statement, not a question.

"I do, Carmen."

"Hadita, if you haven't noticed, we're like a sitcom, everybody is in each other's personal lives. Everybody will find out eventually." I shake my head at my nonsense, I'm making things more difficult than it already is and all because of what I want. She holds my face still. "I know it means a lot to you, Kyla, I won't say shit to anybody if you want me to." She gives me a light kiss on my forehead. "I promise, alright?"

"Ok." I say softly.

"You need to chill though. All this worrying will stress you out." She nips at my ear. "Luckily you have your own personal stress-reliever."

I giggle. "Carm, stop, that tickles."

"I-" I put my finger to her lips.

"Don't start." She pouts them oh so luscious lips of hers.

"So you do all the talking and I can't get a word in?" I give her a smug expression and nod my head. "Hmm, that's cool, I'll leave you speechless at another time."

"Carmen…" She gives me a triumphant grin. "You just couldn't keep that in, could you?"

"Not at all."

"You're lucky that's one of the things I love about you."

"…Yea…" Ok, awkward. I know she's not feeling some type of way cause I used the 4-letter word in a sentence. Is she that immune to it? "Come on, let's head back."

_"I'm in wires for you, girl._

_You're coursing through my mind._

_All I think about is you. _

_Yeah, I'm electrified."_

"This is my shit." Keys declares while bobbing her head. She's now tatting this one girl's hip who resembles Rihanna..well at least the haircut and the forehead; the chick keeps giving Keys signals to hit on her, but she's not paying her any mind. This is really unlike her. A few hours have past as I've been watched Carmen do her thing. She's tatting up this burly dude right now on his ribcage. She is in concentration for the most part, but every few minutes, she locks eyes with me and sends me a smile or blows me a kiss. She's so smitten with me. That's right I said smitten. Cause she is. I know she is…she has to be by now..right? "I should dress up as rockstar tomorrow night. Like Slash or somebody." Keys calls out to no one in particular.

"I'm telling you, Kyla. My costume is kick ass. Nasir isn't gonna know what hit him." Glen tells me; he does a little happy dance in his chair.

"Marquita, turn it down some. Damn. I can't concentrate." Zahra yells. She probably can't concentrate cause she keeps looking at Rihanna Jr. giving the 'come hither & fuck me' face to Keys. Malik left awhile ago, but not after tonguing Zahra down in front of Keys. Keys looked like a bull about to charge, it could be the bright red kufi he was wearing though.

"I'm in love with this girl, that's got my head. Electrified. I hope that someday she might go too far, go too far. Cause all I think about is how you and I could electrify. I hope that someday you might take me home and lose control." Keys sings along while looking at Zahra. Oh, shit.

"Keys." Carmen says in a serious tone.

"What?"

"Forreal, can you turn it down?" Carmen pouts. "For me, mamita."

"That pouty lips business don't work on me anymore, Chi-Chi. I know for Kyla it does, but not me. Maybe, if it was your mom, her Gina Gershon-lookin ass." The whole shop laughs. "But, since you asked nicely, unlike some people." She averts her eyes to Zahra and she shakes her head. "I'll turn the basketball game on instead." You hear a few 'whoo!'s & claps from the guys. "So, what are you gonna be wearing, Ky-Ky? A sexy cop?"

"Actually, that's what I'm wearing." Carmen interjects. "Cuffs and all." She throws a wink at me, I instantly blush thinking of what I could do with those.

"Are they from your own personal collection?" Keys smirks.

"…No comment."

"I thought so." Keys bandages up her customer and walks her to the door. Rihanna Jr. gives her a piece of paper on it which I guess is her number. I see Zahra watching the whole scene intently. I think I see her eyes glowing green. She looks over and sees all of us watching her though; she goes back to watching the game. I bet she doesn't even know where the teams are from. Why don't these two just stop with the games? " Ky-Ky, what are you dressing up as? Carmen's partner? I think you would make one sexy cop."

"Mrs. Officer." Glen croons off-key

"Don't even start, Goldilocks." Carmen warns. We all bust out laughing.

"No, actually, I'm dressing up as Pocahontas." I answer.

"Oh, I've seen that movie!" Glen exclaims. "Is that where she reverse cowgirl rides this guy in a teepee?"

I throw him a weird look. "What movie are you thinking about?"

"Glen, she said Pocahontas, not Pocahotass." Keys shakes her head in amusement. "Idiot."

"Ohh...yea, that movie sucked."

"Are you really dressing up as Slash, Keys?" Carmen asks. She bandages up her customer and walks him to the door..sans phone number. That's right, he doesn't want any problems with me.

"Haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll be Cleo from Set It Off." She chuckles.

"What about Teyana Taylor?" Glen suggests.

"Who?"

"You know the Black chick with the hair? She dances, I think." Keys blinks her eyes rapidly. "The model who had a Sweet Sixteen episode?" Keys blinks again.

"Does that show even come on anymore?" I ask. Seriously, when's the last time you've seen a new episode?

"Never heard of the bitch." Keys shrugs; Glen shakes his head.

"How bout you dress up as Snoop Dogg?" I suggest.

"You know that's not a bad idea, boo. I don't have to do much with my hair or clothes." Keys smiles at Carmen. "See, Chi-Chi I knew your girl was smart. Not like them dumb hos you used to fuck around with."

"You were one of those dumb hos." Carmen retorts.

"Hey!" Keys points her finger. "I'm not dumb. I got street smarts."

"But, you are a ho." Zahra adds. Keys turns around and opens her mouth, but closes and nods her head.

"Touché, sweetheart, touché." Keys gives her a knowing smirk. It gets quiet for a minute as everybody looks at everybody.

"What's Nasir gonna be wearing?" I ask Glen to break up the strain.

"He said he was dressing up as King Tut. He looks really good in gold." Glen gazes off; probably thinking of Nasir in gold Speedos. "Let me stop before I catch a chubby." He whispers to me.

"You can't whisper for shit, twink." Carmen quips. "And eww."

"I'm dressing up as Queen Nefertiti." Zahra announces out of nowhere. We all look at her like she's joking.

"For what?" Keys asks in a snooty tone.

She rolls her eyes. "For the masquerade party, what you think?"

"Why are you going?" Carmen asks curiously.

"Cause I can." She announces in a defensive way. "Is there a problem?"

"Uh, yea, you're straight." Glen says in a humorous manner.

"Fuck you, Glen."

"I would like that, but your cousin doesn't like to share."

"Blondie, do you ever stop being you?" Carmen asks; he just shrugs.

I decide to join in the fun. "Zahra, you do realize it's not just gay guys there, right? It will be hundreds of lezzies ready to lick at a moment's notice."

"Yea, we know how much you don't like girls pushing up on you." Keys adds. Yea, I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm in the deepest form it could go.

She gives Keys a mean glare. "I can take care of myself, Marquita."

"You know what? You gonna stop using my muthafuckin government in here."

"Whatever, sharmoota."

"Bousi teezi." Keys counteracts harshly. Zahra gives her a shocked look. "Yea, Nas taught me that one."

"Ok!" Carmen says getting up and grabbing my hand in the process. "You ready to get outta here?"

"Yes." I answer quickly. I am not trying to be in the middle of this. "See ya guys." We haul-ass out the door with Glen jogging right behind us.

"Don't ya'll even think you're leaving me in there. I don't care if they have angry sex afterwards, I'm not staying." We all laugh as Carmen pulls off.

I'm almost home now. I glance over and see Carmen in deep thought. I wanna ask her what she's thinking about, but I don't want to be too pushy with her. I've done enough with that today. Instead, I just want to cuddle and think how much fun we're gonna have tomorrow night.

"You think tomorrow night is gonna be drama-filled?" Carmen asks me after ten minutes of silence.

"I don't even wanna think about that." I reply honestly. "I just want to have a good night with you."

She gives me that lop-sided grin of hers as she parks the jeep. "Me too." We start walking towards my front door. "I can't wait to see you in your outfit."

"Me neither." I bite my lip slightly. "Do you wanna spend the night?"

"Umm.." Carmen looks unsure, "What about your sister?"

"I think Ashley is spending the night at Spencer's dorm. What she won't know won't hurt her, Carmen." I grab her by her belt loops and pull her closer. "We can fool around a little."

"Oh yea?" She quirks an eyebrow.

"Mmhmm." I grin. I lean in to kiss her which she accepts, but backs up as soon as I open the door. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, Ky, I'm not gonna spend the night."

My grin disappears. "Why not?"

"I got homework to finish up and I don't wanna break your sister's rule."

"You know she's lenient with us as long as she doesn't hear any sounds coming from my room." She chuckles a little, but gives her head a firm shake. "Are those the only reasons?"

She averts her eyes from me. "Yea." How come I don't believe her? She studies me for a minute. "You're upset, aren't you?"

"I'm not." I fib. "It's alright. School is important, I'll see you tomorrow."

She sighs in exasperation. "Look, let's just forget about today and move on from it."

"I guess." I'm acting like a child, I know. But, earlier today, she was trying to get into my pants and now, she won't even accept cuddling. She's confusing me more than I'm confusing her.

Carmen sees that I'm not enthused. "How bout tomorrow night you spend the night at my house instead? My mom is goin on a date with this Morris Chestnut-looking dude and I'm pretty sure she's gonna get lucky." I raise my eyebrows in disbelief. "I saw her packing the overnight bag, mami, I know what it's hittin for." We both chuckle. "Also, I don't wanna be alone in there by myself. El Cuco might get me." She gives me her puppy-dog expression.. Aww, how could I say no to that?

"Well…since you want me to protect you from The Boogeyman and all, I'll stay."

"Cool, cool." She gives me a kiss and I try to deepen it. I wanna change her mind about not staying with me tonight. I want her next to me. She knows what I'm trying to do; which is why she pulls away again. I pout and she kisses me one last time.

"I'll call you tomorrow while I'm at work, hadita. Sweet dreams."

"Night, Carm." I watch her pull off. I heave out a heavy breath and walk inside. It feels like we hit a bump in the road or I'm just making it seem that way. I need to fix this somehow.

"I know you weren't about to sneak C up in here." I hear Ashley's voice coming from the kitchen. She walks in with a turkey sandwich. I hope that's not the last of it "You could've at least wait til I was upstairs." She smirks.

"I thought you would be at Spencer's tonight." I say plainly. I start making my way up to my room, Ashley follows me.

"Well, she had to finish this project up cause she's spending the weekend over here."

"Yea, Carmen told me the same excuse." I reply curtly. I plop down on the bed and Ashley cocks her head to the side.

"Trouble in paradise, sis?"

"I don't know.." I glance at my sister. "I think I'm the one causing trouble."

"How so?" She sits on the bed next to me. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Ashley, how did you and Spencer cope with not having sex as soon as you got together?" And cue the silence.

Ok, maybe I stunned her with that question. "Umm…why would you ask that?"

"Because I know you have by now." She looks away from me. "Right?"

"Look, I'm not gonna go into detail, but we've dibbled and dabbled in things..but, what we've been doin is like 3rd base in the lez world. Oral hasn't been done yet." I give her a look of confusion. There's bases for lesbians? Does that mean Carmen and I have only been to 2nd base? This sucks.

"Really?" She nods her head. "Why not?" She looks up to the ceiling for a moment.

"This may shock you, but I want it to be special with her…which is why I'm the one holding out, not her." That's very surprising. How the hell does she do that?

"That's awesome, Ashley." I smile and give her a side hug.

She breathes out and looks a little nervous. "I love Spencer. Every time I'm with her, I feel so alive. Like nothing can go wrong, ya know. Just heaven." My mouth drops. And the surprises keep on coming. She shakes her head. "I sound like a damn 80s ballad, don't I?"

"Yea, a little bit."

"You're the first person I admitted that to. Besides myself, of course." She looks slightly embarrassed. "I haven't felt love in a long time and I've missed this feeling." She adds truthfully. Aww, we're so having a moment right now.

"I know you haven't. I'm happy that you are feeling it again." A moment passes us by. "Does she know?"

"No, I told you I want it to be special. I got it all planned out in my head. I'm taking her to Dad's cabin next week and tell her there." She sees me staring at her. "What?"

"Who would've thought my sister would be quite the romantic?"

"Pfft! How do you think Dad pulled both of our moms? I learned from the best." She and I both share a laugh. "Alright, now that I have confessed my love for Miss Carlin to you, what seems to be the problem?"

"You won't freak out on me if I get a little personal?" Even though Ashley shared something deep and meaningful with me, I'm a little scared to share my concerns with her. I am still her little sister in her mind.

"Kyla, I have grown in the past couple months, I think I can handle it."

"Ok…let's say that lately I've been getting the urge to.."

"Do my best friend?" She smirks.

"Well, yeah." I blush. "But, I'm kinda holding back."

"Because you're not emotionally ready?" I shake my head no. "She's not emotionally ready." Ashley confirms. I rock my head side to side. "I'm lost here."

"That's not the only problem. I have no doubt that Carmen cares about me."

"Yea, I hope you wouldn't. Because that's not the Carmen I know." She puts her arms around my shoulder. "Kyla, it might take Carmen more time to be on the same level with you emotionally, but don't think it won't get there. It will. She's just a newbie at it." She pulls me in for a hug. "Kyla, I love you. I wouldn't let you continue dating Carmen if I didn't think she could love you. You just have to wait it out."

"You didn't think she could love me when you found out about us." I remind her in jest.

"Well, that was just me being a bitch and you already know that I'm sorry for it." She looks me in the eyes. "I see that I was totally wrong. She's infatuated with you. I barely see her in anymore." I snort at my sister's mock-sadness.

"That's cause you're too busy layed up with Spencer."

"True." She gives me one more squeeze. "Alright, well, I'm going to my room. That's too much sappiness for me in one day, I feel like a Lifetime movie. Are we done here?"

I look down as my face heats up. "Umm, not yet. I still have one more issue." This is the other reason why I'm holding out. It may seem a stupid reason for some, but it does worry me a lot cause of how experienced Carmen is. "Could you help me with something?"

"Oh, shit." She rubs her forehead. "Should I just say no right now?" She quips.

"Hear me out, ok?" She goes into her impatient stance. "Well.." I gulp. "I was wondering if you could teach me how to.." I let it linger in the air. Unfortunately, Ashley didn't catch it.

"Teach you how to what?" _Teach me how to Dougie. Te-teach me how to Dougie. _Dammit Carmen and her infinite playlist.

"Ash, don't make it harder than it already is." She gives me a blank stare. "Can you teach me how to pleasure a girl?"

The facial expresions on my sister are priceless and a bit scary. "You want me to teach how to what?"

"I wanna be prepared for when the time comes and I never done it before and Carmen has been with a lot of chicks and-" Ashley holds up her hand to cut off my rant.

"Hell no!" My sister shudders. "For one, that is too much of sibling bonding right there. Two…dammit, Kyla, you should know how. You're a Davies, it comes naturally."

"Is that your answer for everything?" I deadpan.

"No." She shakes her head. "It should come naturally cause you're a woman who likes women, just…do unto others as you would like to be done unto you." My sister gives me a satisfied smile.

"Did you just quote the Bible to describe how I should give a girl head?"

"Ok, ok, ok. Did you have this issue when dealing with…" She makes a repulsed face. "men?"

I roll my eyes. "No, because I watched pornos. But most girl-on-girl porn is fake anyway which is why I'm asking for your help." Forreal, have you seen how long chicks' nails are in these pornos? And who wears high-heels during sex? FAKE!

"Yea, you're right about that." She runs her fingers through her hair. "Alright, first, lemme get the mental image of you watching both straight and lez porn outta my head." I give her a mean look. "Now, you seriously couldn't ask Glen to help you with this?"

"Glen is a guy, Ashley. I rather learn from a girl. That and he is a little on the cocky side." I ponder for a second. "No pun intended." I add.

"What about Keys? I bet she would be glad to help."

"Keys and I aren't that tight, it will probably get back to Carmen before I'm even able to use what I learned." I look her in the eyes. "Please just give me a few pointers."

She looks at me for a minute. "This is not how I wanted to spend my Friday night, Kyla."

She sighs. "I know you're gonna keep bugging me until I do."

"So, is that a yes?"

"Girl, go get a couple of peaches from the crisper. Slice one-eighth out of it."

"Why am I getting peac?-ohhhhh!" I reply as it hits me. "Really?" I never thought of looking at it that way. "Freaky."

"I can change my mind, ya know in 5..4..3.."

"Ok, I'll go get it." I clap my hands. "This is gonna be educational."

Ashley rolls her eyes. "Just go get the vagina fruit, please."

"Alright." I smile and head downstairs as I get ready for my 'crash course of cunnilingus'…hmm, try saying that three times fast.

**Keys' POV**

You wanna know the most annoying thing for a chick like me? I mean, something that makes you question your own swag? It's when a you're able to pull any shawty anytime, anywhere, any situation, no matter if you're her type or not….except for that one lady, the one you desire most and it's partly cause she deems herself unattainable. That's right, I used the 'unattainable' & 'deem'..don't get the game fucked up, I'm a smart sista on the low.

"You're not ready yet?" Carmen barges in wearing a bra and uniform pants. You can't really call them pants, though cause they stop right under her ass. Damn, she look better than a gov't check on the 1st & 15th. But, I already been there, done that, and part of the fanclub; Kyla will definitely have fun times with her. "Keys! Come on, pendeja, we're gonna be late."

"No, we're not, Village People." I pick up an L that's sitting on my table. I'm glad I pre-rolled this. I'm slow as hell rolling.

"Are you serious right now? You're gonna have my outfit smellin like Dro."

"Does Kyla have you on that tight of a leash, Chi-Chi?"

She flags me off and goes back in my room. "You know I don't forgive you for starting that shit yesterday with me and Kyla, right?"

"Look, I said I'm sorry. I ain't know she was that neurotic about it." I light it up and relax a little bit. I'm just not ready to leave.

"You must not have hit the L yet if you just said neurotic." Carmen comes back out fully dressed; hair in ponytail and her mirror aviators to match.

"Actually, I did, smart-ass." I inhale the smoke deeply and blow out little ringlets. Haha! Cool.

"Seriously though, lay off the sex thing. It's important to her to keep it private and important to me, too…"

Did she just tell me she's keeping things private? I guess I'll have to listen at the door like I do with Ashley and Spencer. What? You would to. Don't front! I tell ya, Spencer definitely rules the bedroom, I heard her name being called out more…up until Kyla smacked in the back of my head and dragged me back downstairs.

"Ok, I'll try, but it's what I'm all about." She just shakes her head at me; I pause for a second."We should get something to eat before we go, don't you think? What you in the mood for?"

"Hold up, I know you're not stalling, are you?"

"What? No!." I look away. My tats just became interesting. I need to touch up my Pegasus tat.

"Mentirosa." She smirks. Sometimes, I can't stand when she just switches to Spanish all of a sudden.

I pick up my Spanish-English dictionary and flip through it. I look at her and she's still wearing her trademark smirk. She's such a cute asshole. "I am not a liar, Carmen." I reply calmly.

"Then, let's go."

"But, I'm good right here." I whine. I already have on some khakis and Chucks. It's just my shirt I need to put on and do something with my hair. Fuck, where is my Zahra when I need her? Whoa, 'my Zahra'? What the hell? Lemme put this Dro down, I'm trippin.

I must've spaced out cause Carmen is in her fed-up Latina stance. You know the stance? If you have never seen the stance, good for you. If you have, you know I got right the hell up. "Good girl!" She smiles snobbishly. "Do something with your hair. Put into pigtails or something. We don't have time to braid it."

"It's not time for it." I reply nonchalantly.

She sighs. "Then, when?" Oh my God, did she really fall for it?

"Right after..T-SHIRT TIME." I sing loudly. I bust out laughing; I can't believe she fell for it. Carmen looks lost and then it clicks; she throws my white tee at me. Ah, nothing like a fresh white tee.

"I'll be in my car. Hurry up." She walks out. You know I looked at her ass when she did. Hello? She's in a cop uniform.

"Alright, I'll hurry up. I know you wanna see your little Indian."

"You damn right I do." She calls back out.

"Shit, I do, too." I mutter under my breath. Quickly turn around to see if she was still around. "Whew!" I gotta remember to have an inner monologue. I look over to a picture of me and my workers at the shop. I look at how close Zahra and I are in the picture, it must've been a couple days before it all started cause if a picture is taken now, you would think we were strangers. "This night can go one of two ways, what's it gonna be?" I ask my reflected self.

Before I can answer, I hear Carmen's loud-ass voice yell for me to move my Black ass. I quicky put my hair into two pigtails and do a quick once-over. Time to let the dog loose.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's up?"

"With?"

"You and the princess of Zamunda. Who you think?" Carmen says in a sardonic tone. Hey, that's not a real place, right?

"Zahra's parents are from Lebanon, Carmen." I state seriously.

"Well, pardon the hell outta me, then."

"And nothing is going on with us. Nothing whatsoever."

"I don't know how girls believe your shit because you suck at lying." I glance over at Carmen and she's just giving me her patient/impatient look.

"Are you just gonna stare at me until I tell you-"

"The truth? Uh, yea, I am. Doesn't feel so good being in the hotseat now, does it?" My mind does a flashback of egging her on about her feelings for Kyla. Damn, she got me there. A few minutes pass by until I speak up.

"In her eyes, nothing is going on between us."

"And in yours?"

My gaze averts to hers for a split-second. "Something is going on between us." Carmen shoots me a satisfied grin. "That's the thing though, Chi-Chi. I can't figure her out. I mean she was the one that kissed me first, she's the one that sending me text messages on the late night tip askin me to come over, that she's lonely. She needs someone to talk to or cuddle, that these little boys she dealing with ain't shit. She started everything, not me!" I'm gripping the steering wheel now; letting it out has got me all worked up now.

"Yo, relax, kid." She rubs my back to calm me down.

"I'm sorry, Carm. It's just that I've been crushing on Zah for the longest, but that's all it is: A crush. She's like super straight. If dick was on a menu, she'd be like 'Yes, please. Can I get the Grand Slam platter?'

"Ok, that really sounded like a stoner metaphor, Keys."

"My bad. What I'm trying to say is she only seems to want me for the time being. I'm not gonna lie to you, I want her. Not to say I turned a straight girl out, not because she bad as shit, but just cause I want her. Any other girl, I would fuck them and flee them, but her…it's different cause I know her as a person, ya dig?"

"You want what you can't have, ma." She says solemnly.

I shrug. "That would apply if I didn't already have what I wanted."

Out the corner of my eye, I witness Carmen's mouth drops. "Seriously? What was it like?"

"I'm playing, Chi-Chi. I haven't got any from her. I've only stroked my fingers on the pleasure button, but she ain't allow me no entrance. I told you, she's in control."

"Ugh! You lucky bitch." She gives me an envious look.

"How is that lucky? Do you know how easy it is for me to.."

"Yea, I know, I've been there, remember?" She interjects. "Do you wanna try it out with her?"

"What? A date or two? Going steady?"

"Yea."

"I mean it's whatever." We reach Club Iris, I start to look for a parking space.

"Marquita, don't try to act like it means nothing to you cause obviously, it does. This is me you're talking to here." She does the sista head roll.

I give her a sideways look and sigh. "I wouldn't mind trying those things out with her, but there's no way in hell, she would go out with me."

"How do you know?

"Cause I do."

She pauses while we get out the car; I toss her keys back to her. "Did you ever ask her?"

"No." I say curtly.

"Does she know that you like her? I mean more than the physical sense."

"…no.." I reply defeated. "and even if she did, she wouldn't care. I mean you see her with her different dudes and whatnot. Speaking of which; who the hell was that Malik cat? I wanted to smack the shit outta him! You saw how he was touching her?"

Carmen keels over in laughter at my blatant jealousy. "Oh, yea, you definitely like her." She cocks her head to the side. "Did you even notice that the boy looked like a knock-off male version of you?" She adds curiously.

"What? Not even." I flag her off and we walk up to club. I see some dude dressed up as a condom; that's one way to get the message of safe sex across.

"Me, Kyla, & Glen thought so." She shrugs. "But, honestly, I think he was just a pawn, she wanted a rise outta you and she got it."

"Damn, I guess I did fall for her game, huh?" I rub my chin. "Well, fuck it, if she wanna play games, we can do what it do, ya dig?"

"So, you're gonna fight fire with fire?" We get to the bouncer and he automatically lets us in. I let him know to look out for my homies.

"Why not? There's too much hotness walking around for me not to." A girl dressed up as Wonder Woman saunters passes us; I've never seen America's colors look so good. "It's a win/win situation. If she gets jealous with all these girls on me, she'll profess her..interest in me and we can work on it from there."

"And if it doesn't do anything?"

I smile mischievously. "At least, I have someone to take home for the night."

"Do your thing, 'Snoop'." She winks.

"I always do." I drag Carmen to the dancefloor and we start hittin to the beat. I'm always gonna have a pretty girl on my arm, regardless of the situation. However, I hope what I'm about to carry out will ignite that green monster inside of Zah.

An hour & a half later

I hava plethora of why's in my head. I observe things a bit better when I'm drunk. Like why is every gay guy dressed up like a Twilight character? Some of these dudes are not fit to be part of the wolfpack. Why is every gay girl dressed up as Nicki Minaj or Ellen, some even Lil Wayne? And damn! How many Lady Gaga costumes can there be in one place? At least change it up, throw a few Sasha Fierces in the mix. But, most of all, the 'why' that's in my mind is..

"Yo, why hasn't Zahra & Nasir shown up yet?" Yea, I've said Nasir, too, so I doun't sound too whipped.

"You asked that 10 minutes ago, Keys." I hear Ashley giggle in my ear. She's dancing behind me, that little devil. 'Whip My Hair' is playing and the cunts are going off on this song. I think I saw wig fly over my head.

"Don't worry, Keys. Glen said they are on their way." Spencer says; she rubs my shoulder while she dances in front of me. Aw, she's such an angel.

"See, Ash, why can't you be more like Spencer here? She's so angelic."

"That's her costume, dumbass. Don't let those looks for you."

"Hey!" Spencer exclaims. "Don't listen to her, Keys. You can't trust Satan's spawn."

They both laugh at each other's little jokes. Out of all the costumes, Ashley and Spencer pick a demon and angel costume. Ashley's is equiped with a tail, horns, and scary wings while Spencer's wings are all crisp and tidy, she even has a halo on. I feel like Constatine in the middle.

"I'm not listening to either one of you, I'm just enjoying my position, ladies." We start moving a little bit more to the beat.

"Well, I would like to be in your position which is grinding on my girl." Ashley retorts.

I turn around in the opposite direction; whipping my pigtails in the process. That song is addictive, I tell you."Don't be jealous, rock star. You can't have blondie to yourself all the time." Ashley pouts and bumps me with her pelvis. "Uh-oh! You got your stroke game up, I see." I joke.

"Keys, can I please dance with my girlfriend by myself?" Spencer asks sweetly. I look over my shoulder and smirk.

"Do the head tilt thing and I'll let ya'll dance alone." I'm sorry, but it's so damn cute.

"Ugh! Fine." Spencer tilts her head and smiles; I clap like I'm three years old. "Now, can we?"

"She's all yours." I step out the way so they can dance with each other, Ashley shakes her head in amusement. "You're a lucky woman, A."

"I know I am." She answers while looking at Spencer. Her smile becomes even wider. Damn youngsters and their overgrown puppy love. I walk over to see if I can dance with Kyla and Carmen, but they're in a corner, giving their tongues a workout. There's no way in hell I'm dancing with Glen a.k.a. Cupid. I don't think red speedos with a matching bandana is part of looking like Cupid. I think he just wanted to show off his junk. His cheap ass didn't even buy a fake bow & arrow, he asked Kyla to paint it on him. That boy is something else, I do give myself a mental pat on the back once I see the tat that I gave him glow under the black lights. I am too good. Hope Nas thinks it's hot.

I scope out the crowd, lots of attractive women with a lot of skimpy clothing; moving so sensual to the reggae songs. The DJ is killin it tonight, lots of sperm dumps & finger babies are gonna happen after this. I'm toasty, too. Life should be good, so why am I not out there baggin this one and that one? The DJ does the horn sound as the song changes up and that's when I see them come in, I see her.

"Mmm, pleasure seeing you again so soon." I hear a voice to the side of me say. I look and realize it's the shawty who gave me her number at the shop yesterday. I do a quick up-and-down. She has on the oufit from Rihanna's 'Rude Boy' video. Figures. I'm not gonna lie, she looks real good in it.

"What's up..umm..?" I look at her for help, but she waits for me to say it. I take a sip of my drink and stare at her.

"Brianna." She confirms after 7 seconds of awkwardness. Really? I mean, really though? Unbelievable.

"Brianna..right..sorry, boo, I'm kinda faded right now." I do the LL Cool J move and smile. "I like your outfit."

"Thanks.." She gives me the once-over. "It might look better on the floor though." Wait! What did she just say? I eye her down before shaking my head.

"Kinda forward there, huh?

"When I see something I like, I go after it." She grabs my hand and escorts me to the dance floor. "Come on, let's dance."

'Mamacita' is on and Brianna/Rihanna knows how to wind her hips, but she doesn't hold my attention for long when I see Zahra walk in the club. Her, Nasir, and a couple of other folks are all together like some gang; that is until they break off like screaming teeny-boppers when they see their friends. Nasir goes right to Glen and flips over his costume and his tattoo, then they proceed to slobber each other down. All this I see in my peripheral because my eyes are still glued to Zahra. We lock eyes for a moment before my head gets turned back around.

The chick starts to dip lower and hold on to my neck and I become more focused into the dance. My swag is appearing and I hold on to the other girl tighter. I look over and I see Zahra burning a hole through me. It's almost scary seeing her stare like that.

"So, your place or mine?"

"Huh?" I'm still watching Zahra and her stare transforms from one of fury to one of sadness. Oh, no. I think this is working too well. I need to ditch the bitch.

"We know what this is about, so don't play games." The girl wraps her legs around me and grins a little bit more into me. "Are you gonna fuck me tonight or not?" I pause for a second. I have a sure-fire smash session tonight and all I need to say is yes . But, once I seen Zahra run off, my mind is made up.

"Listen, ma, you are sexy as hell…" She smiles confidently; I heave out a sigh and back away from her. "But, I have someone else in mind tonight. Sorry."

She gives me a bemused look and just shakes her head. "Your loss, honey, I can make things vibrate." She does her Naomi Campbell walk; switching hard. Damn, damn, damn. I might need to keep her number in case things don't work out how I want it to. Eh, screw it.

I watch Zahra go into the bathroom and I follow her. Thinking of what I should say to her. For the first time, I don't know how to approach her. I know what I want to say, but I'm…afraid. I'll admit it, I'll be a woman about it.

"Wassup, Zah?" I say to get her attention. She's looking at herself in the mirror. She doesn't have her crown on and her curly, dark brown hair is just flowing.

"Did you like your dance?" She asks tartly. Her gold and black outfit shows off her stomach as well as the black panties she's wearing. Thank you, Jesus for sheer fabric. I know she feels my eyes on her, but I'm trying not to perv considering she might possibly be mad with me.

"I cut it short."

She shrugs. "I figured that was your type."

"What type is that?" I move closer to her.

"Semi-attractive with low standards." She answers with a sour smirk. Now, I know she's feeling some type of way cause that girl was bad…she might be right with the low standards though.

"Well, I think you have that wrong, Zah." I turn her to face me. "Because you're my type. You always have been."

"No, I'm not." She looks down.

"You are." I smile and touch her face. I'm working my charm on her, but her expression doesn't change.

"No, I'm not." She repeats it again; more sternly this time. "What are you doing to me?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"I mean…I'm not suppose to like you, Marquita. I'm not supposed to be jealous when I see you hugged up with another girl. I'm not supposed to be wanting to kiss you..and" She looks at me with her mahogany eyes and presses her lips together. "wanting to do other things with you."

My curiosity get the best of me. "Other things like what?" I whisper in her ear. I feel her shiver and then push me away.

"Get real, Marquita. It ain't gonna happen." She states firmly.

"Why not?" I whine. "It would be fun. Believe me." I grin.

"You're not my usual type."

"That hasn't stopped you before." I throw up my hands in her face. "I mean, damn, Zahra, you're using me and I don't like it. I got feelings, shawty." I admit. I look like a sad little puppy.

"You use girls all the time, so how the hell am I suppose to know what you feel? You can't take what you give out, is that what is?"

"No! I guess not. You happy?" I yell. I take a moment to calm myself down; I grab her hands and look into her eyes. "I like you, Zahra. I've been liking you for a minute now. Why can't you just admit to yourself that all this; the late-night hook-ups, the boyfriends one after another, that little scene with that Malik dude is all because you like me just a little bit, too?"

She shakes her head and runs her fingers through her hair. "You're a female. Nas is the gay one in my family, not me." She sounds like she's trying to convince herself more than me.

I'm taken aback by her reply; my nose flares up. "So, this is the reason you won't try something out with me? Cause I have the same shit you do? Fuck outta here, Zah. It's attraction, you can't help it."

"It's not just cause you're a girl. You're..you. I've never seen you with a girlfriend" I scoff. I'm not that bad. "Have you ever been serious with a girl?"

"Yea, right now with you. Even before you, I've had girlfriends. I know what it's like to hurt and care for someone. I can't tell you that it will be alright with us, but if you at least give me a chance. Who knows?" She pauses for a moment; neither of us is saying anything. "Whatever, I'm gonna leave you to yourself, Zahra. Hope Malik can keep you satisfied." I go to exit out the bathroom door, but I'm held in place by Zahra. She drags me back insisde and pins me up to the door.

"I'm gonna regret this." She frowns.

"No. You won't." I flip our positions and I kiss her. It starts off slow and sweet, but then she begins to use her tongue and I lose it. I pick her legs up and hold her up against the door. She gives me a surprised look and then smiles. Finaly, I'm in control. Don't get me wrong, I love an assertive femme, but I still like to wear the pants for the most part. She giggles once my lips hit her neck. This is the best hook-up I've ever had in the ladies' room and trust me, I've had many.

"Keys." She breathes out sensually; I haven't heard her say my name like that before. Matter of fact, this is the first time, she has said my nickname since we started fooling around. It kinda made my knees buckle; I had to let her down. I go in for another kiss, but she interrupts it. "Wait."

I stop and look at her with a sad face. I thought I was in there. "I just wanna know what does this make me? What does this make us?" She asks honestly.

"Zahra, don't worry about that. It's just labels." She nods her head in understanding. "And as for us, it's whatever we want it to be, let's just both agree on whatever that thing is. No one-sidedness."

"We'll take things slow, then?" She asks hopefully.

I roll my eyes. "Yea, yea, yea…it's cool, I know you're gonna touch these sooner or later.." I point to my breasts. "But, for now, I'm perfectly happy with pleasing you."

She smiles and gives me a deep, slow kiss. "Good." She pushes me off of her, then quickly grabs my hand. "Let's see if you dance as good as you tat." I wrap my arms around her waist and walk out with her.

"There's lots of things that I can do that are as good as my tat skills you'll see." I wink. Reggae is still poppin through. We get our grind on. The complexity of sexuality is a wild ride; but right now, I'm holding on to that factor as she twists and turns to the beat. Say it with me: Keys, you are the (wo)man! Ha-ha!

**Kyla's POV**

The club is going in tonight. Everyone is having a fun time with one another. People are dancin and handclapping to the music. I'm glad I wore actual moccasins cause my feet would be hurtin right now. I even see Zahra and Keys dancing together; all is good. The only problem is that Catwoman keeps staring at us; more so, Carmen. I don't know who this Catwoman is, but she's really annoying me. Carmen doesn't seem to notice though, only me.

"Hey, babe, I'm gonna go get a bottle of water." I tell her. She pouts and lays a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

"Ok, hadita, don't be too long." She says sweetly while slapping my ass in the process. I shouldn't have worn this short leather skirt around her. She doesn't know how to act.

"I'm gonna get you one, too." I walk off and see the girl fixate her gaze from Carmen to me. If she comes over here, I don't know what I'll do cause she's killing my buzz. It doesn't take too long for me to get the waters, I see Carmen waving back at me while dancing with Spencer and Ashley. I smile seeing how much fun she's having, yesterday was a bit of a mess and I'm glad we worked it out. I make my way back over, but I'm stopped by none other than Catwoman. Who is this girl?

"So, you're her new piece?"

"Excuse me?" She studies me up and down; then smirks. I study her, also and come to the conclusion that she's a Grade-A skank. "Do I know you, kitty?"

"I said you must be her new piece. Carmen's." Her eyes cut to the dancefloor and back to me. "You're also her best friend's sister. Too bad you're not as cute as Ashley." What did she just say? Relax, Kyla. The bitch is probably drunk.

"If you mean am I Carmen's girlfriend, then, the answer is yes." She furrows her eyebrows in confusion at the word 'girlfriend'. "Who the hell are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Kelly." She answers with a fake smile, then says in a hostile tone. "Carmen's ex."

I stare at her for a moment before I laugh in her face. I know the chances of running into a girl that Carmen used to mess with were high, but I didn't think I would run into one, especially one that was still..bitter. "Oh, so that's why you've been watching her like some girl that has been dumped by her." I shrug my shoulders. "I'll tell my girlfriend you said hi." I say sweetly, I'm not bothered by this. She's just mad that I have her now. I start to walk away when I hear her voice again.

"You don't belong with her, ya know. You know nothing about her."

I turn around and walk back. "I know nothing about Carmen?" She tries to do the head roll, but it doesn't work on her. It just looks stiff. "I know more about her than you ever will." I come closer to her. "Such as her middle name."

"She doesn't have one, dumbass." It's Juliana. I know. So typical, right?

"I've seen her birth certificate, have you?" Kelly cuts her eyes away from mine. "How bout the story of how she got that scar on her calf, did she tell you that?" I egg on.

"Well-"

"How bout the reason she doesn't speak to her father?" I question finally.

"She told me he was dead." Her expression is priceless when she realizes that Carmen hasn't been as open to her as she has to me.

"Hmm.." Of course, I'm not gonna give her Carmen's information. It's a reason she shared it with me and I'm not gonna betray her trust. "My point exactly. It looks like you were her piece cause you don't know jack shit." I say callously. Her face is wearing a mix of anger, envy, and sadness. I know she wants to say something, but she's got nothing. I trumped her ass. "Well, this was..nah, I'm not gonna lie. This was a disaster. I can't say that I'm sorry it didn't work out for ya'll cause I'm not. What I can say is this:" I stepped to her, so our faces are inches apart. "Take yourself out of the equation of our relationship and don't approach either one of us again, ok?"

"And if I don't?" She sneers.

"I will choke you with your own tail in this bitch, in front of everyone. You'll be a youtube celebrity overnight." I reply coolly; circling my finger around the club. "I may look sweet, but I will fight for what I love." Oh, my God! Did I just say 'love'? Am I in love with Carmen? Like 'love' love?

"Love?" Kelly's whiskers twitch in amusement. "You think Carmen knows about love? She only knows about one thing and that's fucking. It's what kept her around and it's what will keep her coming back. To me, that is." I look away for a split-second at what she just said. I hope that's not true. "So go on and have your fun with her, it won't last any longer." She backs up from me quickly and vanishes into the crowd.

"That little bitch." Now, I feel worried all over again. I take a moment to process everything she said. She's bluffing, she doesn't know what she's talking about…so, why do I still feel a little troubled by it? I need to get outta here. This is why I don't come to clubs very often. You always run into your ex, your girlfriend's ex, or an ex of an ex. Everybody has screwed everybody in some way or another.

I make my way back over to Carmen who's now chillin with Keys and Glen. The song changes up to 'Te Amo'. The DJ screwed up now. who plays a song like this at a club? It's like a bad omen.

"Mami, what took you so long?" Carmen grabs me and sits me on her lap; I hand her water which she chugs down.. "Thank you." She nuzzles her wet mouth on my neck.

I jump a little at the sensation. "Carm, your lips are wet." I whine; I'll admit I like it though. I see Keys and Glen both snicker at what I just said. "Not a word, you two."

They both hold their hands up at the same time; their dirty minds and synchronized movements make Carmen chuckle. "Kyla, come on, let's go dance." She tries to get up, but I hold her down with my weight. "I'll pick you up if I have to." She threatens playfully.

"There is no way I'm dancing to this song, Carm." I shake my head firmly. She wraps her arms around my waist and pushes her hips up. I bite my lip in response

"Aww! But, I wanna grind on you." She whispers in my ear. I turn to look at her and she shoots me a cocky grin. I can't help but to smile when she smiles. "Come on! One more, please?"

I look at the dance floor; debating if I should give in to her demands. That's when I see Kelly on the floor dancing with some girl with a Peter Pan costume on. She glances my way and smirks. That's it, I'm done for the night. "How bout this? How about we go back to your place and we can dance there?" I suggest in a sultry tone. I see Carmen's eyes light up.

"You know..that's sounds like a great idea."

"Let's leave now." I steady her up and we start walking to the exit, I reach into her pants pocket slowly and take her keys out. "I'll drive." I flash a smile. Out of us two, I'm the more sober one.

"Wait, Keys drove with me, she might need a ride back." She looks around and see that Zahra and Keys are making out in a dark corner. "Nevermind, I think she'll be alright." She laughs. "It's about damn time." We make our way to the exit; I'll text Ashley later. She'll understand, she prepared me for this.

"You're right about that." It's the right time for a lot of things.

Carmen's house

"Mom!" Carmen calls out. "Mama. You in here?" Silence. "Told you, Kyla. She's out gettin some right now." She winks.

"How can you talk about your mom like that?" I ask humorously.

"Relax, she and I share a lot of things with each other."

"Like what?"

She grabs me and plants a small kiss on my lips. "Like how much you mean to me." Her eyes lock with mine. I think I fell a little bit harder with just those words alone.

"Oh." Her eyes are still fixated on mines and it makes me feel wanted, but nervous at the same time. I start to walk up to her room. "You're such a momma's girl."

"Yea, but I'm also your girl." She follows me up the stairs; I can feel her eyeballs on my panties, my skirt barely covers it, which is why I bought it. "And I also better be your one and only cause I saw that girl talking to you in the club." She cuts her eyes teasingly.

"Trust me, I told her that you got me and she knows where I stand with you. It's not an issue." We enter her room; she must've known that I was coming back with her tonight cause the room is straight and it smells like pina colada air freshener.

"Good. I wouldn't want to put you on lockdown."

"What if I want you to lock me down?" I ask seductively; she pushes me gently towards one side of the room while taking off my vest; leaving me in my tan bra.

"Be careful what you ask for, hadita." She flashes me her lop-sided smirk and shoves me on to a chair while sitting on top of me.

"Carmen, what are you-?" Clink! Clink! "What was that?" I try to lift up my arms, but they're being held in place by Carmen's handcuffs. How did she do that so fast?

"You said you wanted me to lock you down." She smiles mischievously; she gets up and goes to her stereo. She turns off her ceiling light and turns on another; a red light. Oh, shit, what does she have in store for me?

I try to move again, but she has the cuffs on pretty tight. "Carm, you should let me out of these before I lose circulation."

"Baby, you won't. I'll take them off when it gets to the middle."

"When what gets to the middle?" She doesn't answer, instead I hear a beat drop and watch Carmen walk towards me slowly. My eyes don't leave her body as she sways her hips to the lyrics. "I thought we were dancing together."

_"Your body whispering from under the sheets__  
I hear it moaning begging loud and clearly  
I'm rather in fluent in the language it speaks  
But it's your mouth I want to tell it to me."_

She stops right in front of me and shakes her hair out. "No, I said I wanted to grind on you. There's a difference." She starts unbuttoning her shirt and on instinct, I reach up to touch her.

"Dammit." I yell in frustration. She stands over top of me and slow whines her way down; mere inches from my lap. Her torso and black hair appears to be glowing in the red light. She caresses my face while her other hand slides down my chest. "You know this can be seen as an act of torture." I implore, I know she can feel my heart pounding. I'm anxious as all hell, but I'm lovin this side of her. It's what I like to call passive-aggressive teasing.

"It's not torture if you're enjoyin it, Kyla." With that said, she shimmies out of her costume shorts and reveals her navy blue thong. She bends over for me to get a better look while the chorus plays.

"Carmen. Can you uncuff me now, please?" I ask sweetly. Ok, my voice sounded more like I was begging.

"Why?" She walks back over to me and straddles on my lap. Her ass is facing me and she starts doing these circular movements. My lower half is setting off the sprinklers right now; the ache in my center makes it evident.

_"It's not as if I'm not totally aware__  
That you want my hands right here and my mouth right there  
Girl don't play shy, show me how bold you can be  
Open your mouth and tell me and tell me where you want me"_

"Because I would very much..." She lays her back on my front so I'm able to smell her scent, but not able to kiss her, or bite her, for that matter. Damn Art Majors and their knowledge of depth perception. "like to touch you." I buck my hips up for more contact; which surprises her cause she jumps up.

_"Girl, why don't you__  
Tell me what you want me to do to you  
Say it, say it, say it...  
Girl why don't you tell me what you want from me  
Girl won't you  
Say it, say it, say it..."_

"Patience, mami. I'll let you go soon." She sits back down facing me and starts rocking back and forth to the song's climax. Shit, I'm about to climax just by her moving like that. I look down and see the imprint of her clothed…peach; I bite my bottom lip out of desire for her; for it.

"Carmen, please, uncuff me." I demand. I say it nicely, but she knows I mean business. Her gray eyes study me for a second before she goes in for a steady; yet hungry kiss. My mind has enough sense in it left to hear the clinking and the cuffs hit the floor. The shackles of sexual frustration are off and I waste no time in gripping Carmen up. I go for her neck while my hands travel from her back to her ass. "Don't ever do that again." I say with a muffled voice. Ok, that's not accurate. I would let her do that again, but only if I can do it, too.

"I told you I would have you begging." She giggles; I stop kissing her. I give her an unreadable look and her giggles cease. Am I ready to do this? "Kyla, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I thought you woul-"

"Get up." I command. I don't know-wait! I know what's going through my head, but I'm still debating whether to go there. Carmen looks to see if I'm joking, then does what I say. She looks a bit guilty now.

"Listen, ba-" I silence her with another kiss and drag her to the bed with my lips. We stop there and she's wearing this perplexed expression on her face. I let out a breath that I've been holding ever since this dance started and I know that my mind is made up now.

I take off my skirt (along with my mocassins); never taking my eyes off of her. Her mouth opens and then closes as I climb backwards on the bed; giving her a little view of what she's been touching the past couple months. Once I'm under the covers, I look her up and down slowly. "Are you gonna join me?" I ask with a sexy smirk.

Carmen fumbles out of her combat boots; throwing them over her shoulder. She almost hit the stereo. I watch her do a swan dive onto the bed and get under the covers in a haste. "You don't have to ask me twice." She grins widely, I grin along with her. She moves closer to me and wraps her leg around my waist. "Do you wanna continue the dance?"

I grab her leg and pull her even closer. "Sure." I kiss her gently and our tongues connect shortly after. Carmen's kisses always rile me up, especially when she does this little twirl pattern. It's making me more aroused just thinking about it. My fingers walk their way up to her bra and I unclasp it with one hand. Yea, I was practicing on that, too.

"You're not wasting any time, are you?" I suck on her pulsepoint and she starts to pant a little. I nip and lick at it for extra measure before marking her. She's mine; I want to make it clear.

"Nope." I flip her over so she's on her back; she yelps in excitement. "I want all my time tonight spent with you…"

"Doing what?" She asks; she playing along, but she probably thinks it will be just like any other night. Boy, do I have a surprise for her.

I raise up for a second so I can slip off her bra. "Everything." I answer seriously. Carmen gives me a curious look and laughs.

"Sure we are, Kyla." She replies and raises up a little to kiss me, I push her back down.

"I'm being forreal, Carmen. I want to take things to the next level." She props herself up on her elbows and eyes me down.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" She asks half-jokingly. I shake my head slowly and bring my hands to her breasts "I mean, I'm not passed out somewhere in the club right now, right?"

"Do you want me to check?" I ask in a whisper. With that said, I pinch her nipples softly with my fingertips.

"Ay!" Her eyes flutter at the contact and she does some hissing sound. I think I did it too rough.

"I'm sorry. Did that hurt?" I ask with my face burning up. Damn, can I do anything right?

"No, no." She replies promptly. "Quite the opposite. Trust." I smile in response. She tugs on my neck and I fall on top of her. "What's gotten into you, baby?" I wrap her legs around me and my center makes contact with hers. She's so warm. I should've taken her thong off, too.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." We kiss again, but it doesn't last long cause my lips gravitate to her 'tetas'. She lets out a low moan when I twirl my tongue on the left, then the right; alternating between the two. I love the sound her piercing makes when my teeth accidently hit it. She says something in Spanish when I hold her nipple in place with my teeth and tug on it. I think she likes the illusion of me being a lil rough with her because I hear her curse in Spanish..

" Kyla! Mmm.." She moans out when I rock up against her. She still has her stereo playing, it must be her pantydroppers mix cause those are the only songs I hear playing. I start to gain a rhythm, starting off slow with deep strokes but my horny-ness got the best of me cause I start humping her like a dog…a cute dog, though. I'm not Glen. "Whoa, slow down, baby." She giggles and grabs my hair in a joking manner.

"My bad." I turn bright red."I didn't mean to do that. I guess I'm just excited." And nervous, definitely nervous. I have her on my mind, but I also have on my my mind how I was tongue-fucking a cut peach.

"I noticed." She flashes me her lop-sided smile. "Here." She lowers my bra straps down "Lets take this off before you burst out of it." I giggle and take it off the rest of way. She gazes at my breasts for a moment. I feel like I'm under inspection until she speak again. "You know, I'll never get tired of lookin at your tits."

I shake my head up in amusement. "That could've came out better, Ms. Sanchez."

"You're right." Her hands travel up to them dangerously slow. "I should've just showed my appreciation for them." She pushes me back down and climb on top; I swear it's like wrestling match for dominance sometimes. I let her take the lead for a little bit. Her touches and kisses on my top half release some of the tension that my walls are feeling. I don't have to say which walls, ya'll already know. I want her to take me, make me hers…but I have to own her first..I gotta secure my place with her.

"Carmen.." I whimper in her ear. She grinds into me even more when I say her name. Man, she really knows how to work that pelvic region. Dammit, Kyla, focus. I need to get her attention. "Carmen, wait." I gently bite her earlobe and her hips buck involuntary. Ok, wrong idea. Even though, it felt nice. "Juliana!" I yell as a last resort; that stops her dead in her tracks.

"Eww, babe, only my mom calls me that when I really screwed up." She makes a disgusted face; I chuckle.

"Well, I had to get your attention somehow."

"I was in the zone." She replies honestly. I feel her hot breath on my neck. "What's wrong?" She asks sweetly. I feel one of her hands reach go down to my panties and touch the outside of them like she has done so many times. "Do…" I see in her now dark gray eyes that she's afraid to know the answer to a question she doesn't want to ask in the first place. "Do you want to stop?"

_Kyla, show her how much she means to you. Show her no one else can have her. _Shut up, brain! I'm making my own self panic; thinking about my next move. "No, I don't." Carmen breathes a sigh of relief. "But…I would like to know.." I pause and look down at her last article of clothing. "if I can.." I put my trembling hands on the sides of her thong, she gives me a puzzled look. "make love to you."

"You want to do me first?" She smiles shyly. Ok, not the response I wanted, but I'll accept it for now. "Really? I mean usually.."

"I know." I cut her off, already knowing what she might say. "But, you can let go with me." I tell her truthfully; she swallows hard. I think I'm making her a little nervous. Yay me!

"Ok..do you wanna do the honors?" She grins devilishly; she lays down on her back again and spreads her legs some. "Or should I?" Can you have an orgasm just by looking at a female? If not, the tremors hitting my core must be on overdrive.

I don't say anything cuz I keep thinking of the techniques in my head. Ashley also showed me some finger methods, even though I insisted I'll be fine in that department. I must've spaced out longer than I should have he looks a little worried that I'm gonna chicken out. She begins to close her legs, but I stop her by putting my hands on her calves. I drag her closer to me and raise her legs up in the air. "Lift up for me." I tell her.

She smirks and does what I say; her eyes never leaving mine. I look cool and calm on the outside, but on the inside, I'm a mess. My heartbeat is going rampant. I fling the thong off of her, but I still haven't seen what she's working with. My little head is saying look, touch it, taste it, put me on it; yet, my fear is striking up again. "Kyla, it's ok." She says caringly. "I did shave." I bust out laughing.

"That's a relief." I reply.

She takes my hand and kisses my palm, then travels it down..down..down..until it hits something warmer than the rest of her. "We can stop here if you want, Ky. I don't want to pres-"

I lay her back down and hold her leg open with one of mines. I plant a small kiss on her lips before I move her bangs out of her eyes, I want her to know. "You're what I want, Carmen." The smile that I receive from that little revelation speaks volumes. I smile back even wider as she runs her fingers through my hair and tugs me down to kiss her.

_Ok, this is it, Kyla. Remember to use the index and middle finger so you're able to lift the chee-_That does it! My fucking brain talks too much; I'm on auto-pilot now.

My hands quiver a bit as I part her lips with my middle finger. I look down and stare in awe at Carmen's nether regions. It looks so mouth-watering. Especially her lips; they're same size as the ones up top. "¿Te gusta?" She asks with a cocky smirk. I slide up and down her slit slowly, being careful not to hit her clit too much. I'm saving that part for later. Carmen's eyes close for a second as she moans out in pleasure. "Ohh, Kyla." I'm trying to be calm and collected about what's going on, but I'm giddy as hell. I haven't even entered her yet and she's already calling out my name.

"Am I doing a good job, baby?" I ask rhetorically. I know I'm doing a good job cause she's throwing her hips up to gain more contact, but I still wanna hear it.

"Mmmhmm." She tugs on my hair to bring me closer to her; starts kissing me senseless. I'm trying to be into the kiss, but I still wanna ogle at Carmen's 'gem'. I go a little further down and push one finger in tentatively. I start to pump in and out nice slow "¡Ay, que rico!" My kness wobble at the sound she's produced. It doesn't help that Carmen's thigh hittin me in my wet spot. I don't know what she just said, but I want to make it in my power for her to say that again.

I put my ring finger in while she's moving up and down on the first one; it's all about timing the rhythm. Great, now I sound as cocky as my sister. She feels so tight and so wet that it's making me mad that I haven't done this sooner. "You are so damn sexy to me right now, Carmen." I tell her breathlessly. I know it sounds cheesy romantic, but I mean it. She's sexy in everyway; inside and out. I feel proud to call her mine.

"Ooh, keep going, hadita." Her voice is getting higher. I keep going in and out, but I start to pick up pace once I feel her. Her pussy is making some type of slurping sound when I pump my fingers inside of her. I know it's sound a bit strange, but that's how you can tell you have some good vagina.

She grabs one of my asscheeks up so my breasts can be dangling near her mouth; like ripe fruit for the picking. She captures one of my nipples in her mouth and her tongue sets off on it. "Fuck!" I curse out. "Mmm, Carmen." I know she's obeying my rules of letting me please her first, but must she be so talented with her mouth? I can't wait to have it in a lower setting.

"I want you so bad, amor." She breathes out. I raise my fingers up on her walls until I feel a fleshy part, I'm gonna make her come before anything else happens. "Oh, shit.." She grunts out; she bites down on my shoulder and her nails dig into my back. Ooh, she's a biter and a scratcher. I love it. "Kyla!" She calls out again.

My swag is catchin waves right now hearing and feeling her reactions to my 'skills'. Yes! "You want more, baby?" Just now, an idea hits me. I don't want to her to come this way. I start to slow my pace down and just do mini-strokes.

"I'm so close. No pares, mami, no pares." I'm assuming that meant 'Don't Stop', but I don't care if meant ham sandwich cause it sounds so fucking hot. I know she's gonna hate me for this, but I'll make her feel so much better in a minute. I stop completely and now, I'm dealing with an out-of-breath, blotchy, irritated Carmen. "What the fuck, Kyla, why did u stop?" She's still laying down, but she's eying me down; waiting for a reason.

I kiss her to make my amends while pulling my fingers out slowly. She really must have been close because her walls didn't let me slide out so easily. "I'm really sorry, but I was getting jealous." I answer honestly.

"Jealous of what?" She asks confused. I kiss her again; licking and nibbling on her bottom lip in the process. "Kyla, you really know how to push a girl's buttons. Now, tell me."

"Of my own fingers." I raise the hand that was inside of Carmen and without taking my eyes off of her, I lick and suck my fingers clean.

"Whoa.." Is all she says.

"My point exactly." I smile mischievously. She really does taste as good as she smells, but it's more raspberry than chocolate. But, that was just the sample, I want the whole meal. "Mmm, so sweet."

My mouth travels down her body and although, I'm getting more and more nervous. I know this is the right time to do it. I leave little kisses on her collarbone, her breasts, her stomach, her hips and even her thighs. Actually, I do more than kiss her thighs, I can feel her pulse through them. There's no where else I rather be right now than here speding my first sexual experience with the woman I'm in love with….in love. I'm in love with Carmen Sanchez and it makes me feel...elated. I pause as I relay this message over and over again in my head. Well, it's no time like the present.

"Carmen…" I say in a shaky voice. I come up her body and look her in the eyes. She looks nervous that I'll stop, but she doesn't need to be. I just need to say this to seal everything in place. "I.."

"What is it?" She caresses my face with worry; I let my forehead touch hers.

"I love you." I say in an audible whisper; her eyes bug out and she opens her mouth, but says nothing. "I know that this is really quick and everything, but, Carmen, I'm in love with you and I'm ready.." I kiss her open, shocked mouth. "I'm ready to do anything and everything intimate with you because I trust you with my heart." I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders cause it was the only thing holding me back. I look at Carmen expectantly; this is where I hear the same from her….but all I hear is silence. And more silence. And more silence. I feel my heart sink from the quiet.

"Wow…umm…I-wow." Carmen is looking down the whole time; I raise her chin up to look at me. "Kyla, I.."

"Shhh…" I put a strand behind her hair "You don't have to say it back if you're not ready. I didn't expect you to." I tell her honestly. "I just wanted you to know, Carmen. I'm not going anywhere." I smile reassuringly.

She gives me an uneasy smile. "Thanks for telling me." She replies, it doesn't sound like she means it though. "Listen, Kyla, I know you're gonna think I'm crazy." She takes a deep breath. "But, we should stop right here." Say what now?

"Stop? What do you mean 'stop'?" I can't breathe for a second. What's happening? "You mean stop seeing each other?"

"What? No, no, hadita, not that." She takes my hands into hers and gazes into my eyes. "We shouldn't have sex tonight." Carmen saying no to sex? What world do I live in right now?

"Why?"

She runs her fingers through her hair and shakes her head. "It's not the right time…for me."

"Carm, I already told you-"

"I know what you already told me, aite?" She says sharply. "I'm telling you we're not doing that." I feel my eyes starting to tear; I never seen her react like that to me. She sees that I'm on the verge of crying and changes her attitude. "Kyla, I apologize baby, I didn't mean to snap like that." She leans in to give me a comforting kiss, but I push her away.

"So, you don't wanna have sex with me because I confessed my love to you, is that it?" I question.

"Kyla, it's not that simple to explain-"

"No. Explain it right now." I get up and go put my bra and skirt on. This is not how it's suppose to turn out. "Cause all I'm hearing is rejection right now."

"Kyla, wait."

"I mean, at least I can understand if you can't say it back…" I put on my moccasins and grab my vest. "But making me feel unwanted, like it's so bad…" I look her up and down & shake my head. "That's what I don't understand."

"Hadita, listen, I-"

"Don't fucking call me that." I say firmly, but my voice betrays me by showing the sadness. "If you want sex without love, no strings attached…then go back to that slut, Kelly."

"What the fuck? Kelly?" Her eyes widen and her face shows confusion; wondering how I know her "What does she have to do with this?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "I don't know. Maybe something, probably nothing at all. But, it is shedding light on some things." I walk back over to her and touch her face. "Carmen, you acting like this doesn't change what I just told you. I'm a big girl, you don't have to protect my feelings, but you will owe me an explanation." I walk to the door and hold it open. "I need a girlfriend that's honest with me…not a mother or sister to shield me from harm."

She gives me one more pitiful look. "Please, Kyla, don't go. Stay." I want to, but I need time to myself right now.

"Good night, Carmen." I slam the door shut and run out the house before she has time to put clothes on to chase me.

How did this night go so bad? This fucking sucks, I mean I don't even know what went wrong. I'm about to call Ashley for a ride, but realize she's probably in bed with Spencer right now. All cuddled up; being lovey-dovey. I think I'm gonna be sick. I decide to just call for a taxi instead. I don't want to talk to anybody now anyways. I just wanna go home, take a cold shower, maybe cry myself to sleep, and throw out all the peaches in the kitchen. It's not like I'll be needing them anytime soon

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**Yay! I'm done. Like that extra p.o.v.? I thought the majority of you would. I made this chapter effin long (43 pgs, ppl!) just because it's been a long time since I updated so, hope you enjoyed it (aka I hope it wasn't sh*t). I am gonna end this story soon, I just don't know how in what way. My brain doesn't go that far with this. **

**What else? If anyone was offended by how I portrayed Malik, I apologize. However, I do come from a Muslim background myself and there are ones that I like to call 'jailbird Muslims' that do exactly what he does & I was poking fun at it. So hopefully no harm, no foul. Oh, and I do have an idea of what Zahra and Nasir look like in my head, in case you're interested. It's these Arab-Australian actors in this tv show called KICK. Check it out, I'm sure you can guess who's who. **

**Hmm…oh, yeah, sidenotes: There's a lot of things I wanted to throw out there in the past few weeks, but I'll deal with the most recent stuff, ok? 1. Who has seen the 'Whip My Hair' video? If you have, snap your fingers with me and say "YESSSSSS!" lol! 2. Who has seen the clip of Justin Bieber rapping, I bet my fitted collection that Young Money is gonna sign him. *rolls eyes* 3. Why is The Situation such a douchebag? And while we're at it for the season finale, why did they keep showing that commercial for Skins? I really hope they do this show justice because I love the ****U.K.**** (original) version. 4. Anybody watching the Real World/Road Rules challenge? I love those jawns. ^-^ 5. Why didn't anybody tell me about The Bad Girls Club? They got like 3 les/bi chicks on there. 6. That new Ciara video is that work; watch it, ladies. You know you want to. -_^ 7. Who thinks Kristen Stewart plays for our team? Seriously. 8. I recently became a Gleek and that Brittana scene the other week was lovely. *licks lips* Wallah! The things I would do to Santana. 9. Who has been keeping up with Degrassi still for this season? When did Claire get so…mmm..ya know? -_^ And yay to Adam getting a love interest (even if it is Fiona)! ^_^ 10. Can someone help me? My game must be weak or something, but I can't seem to approach women. I know that may be surprising considering how & what I write about, but I'm being forreal here. I'm not afraid to admit it. *sigh* 11. I already have another story in my head, but I won't put it on here until this done. **

**Shoutouts to CraveMe1991 for putting me on his/her favorite author's list a few days ago. ^_^ Made me feel all special and stuff…then realize I really needed to put this chapter up. **

**Alright, folks, you know the drill. Review or PM, tell me what ya think. Thanks again for sticking with me. Have a Blessed Samhain ( a.k.a. Happy Halloween) everyone. Love & Peace to all.**

**Songs used: Sex on Fire by Kings of ****Leon****; Electrify by Mute Math; Say It by Ne-yo**

**Songs mentioned: Whip My Hair by ****Willow**** Smith; Mamacita by Collie Buddz; Te Amo by Rihanna**


	23. The Past Can Kiss My Ass

**Wooooooow! O_O I don't even wanna look at how long it's been since I updated this. Smh. I'll say my plea afterwards..or maybe not. To the ones that reviewed and favorite my story (The most recent being Mar. 29, I think.) that I didn't answer back in PM…a thousand thanks to ya'll. *Tips fitted hat* I won't waste any more time.**

**Don't own SON or the songs used, but I do own some nice black titanium body piercings. -_^**

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**Ashley's POV**

"You're such a cheater!"

"Pssh, I'm not trying to hear that." I reply rolling my eyes. It amuses me when people start calling out false accusations. Even though, I'm not playing fair right now.

"Well, you are, Ashley."

"If you say so." I shrug nonchalantly.

"Chi-Chi, didn't you see what she did? She puts on some cheat codes or something" Keys ask with a pout on her face. Carmen is in her own little world sketching in her notebook. "Hey, Sanchez, I'm talking to you!" Keys throws a pillow at her head, but instead hits her notebook.

"¡Mierda!" She cuts her eyes at Keys. "What the hell, Marquita? You made me mess up, bitch."

"Well, stop getting your Frida on and chill with us. That's what we're here for." Carmen flags us off and erases the error she made. If only her relationship with Kyla was that simple. She's been like this for a week now ever since the night at the club. I tried asking my sister what's up and she told me to stay out of it.

"Ya'll are here to eat up my mom's flan custard and to play my Metal Gear Solid 4, so I don't wanna hear it." Carmen replies half-jokingly.

"We came for you initially." I pause the game and get up to sit next to her, Keys follows suit.

"And to catch a glimpse of your mom naked." Keys adds. I give her a dirty look and smack her in the back of the head. "I'm kidding…sorta."

"So, what do you wanna do that all three of us would enjoy doing? We can cheer you up." I ask sincerely; Keys smiles mischievously. "Shut up, Marquita. That's never gonna happen."

"Ahhh, a boi can dream, right?" I swear she has a dick for a brain.

"I don't know, guys, I rather be by myself." She replies with a sigh. Carmen is holding the sketch close to her chest. But, by the shading of the cheekbones alone, I know exactly who it is.

"Come on, Carmen." I put my arm around her and put on my Davies smile. "Let's go out to the beach or something."

"Or to a strip club." Keys suggests. Carmen quirks an eyebrow at her.

I rub my chin. Keys, you perverted genius, you. "That's actually not a bad idea."

"Yea…that is unless there's a stripper that resembles Kyla." Keys adds furthermore. Carmen shakes her head and places in the palm of her hands. "I mean…or that could help you with knowing what to say to her when she finally starts talking to you again." Keys finishes nervously; realizing she's just digging herself into a deeper hole.

"Keys, can I see you in the kitchen?" She looks between Carmen's torn face and my angry one. Now!" I command. Alright, I'm taking back the word genius and replace it with dunce now.

"Sit tight, boo." She gets up and walks into the kitchen with me. We hear Carmen cut the tv on and change it to some music channel. "Please don't smack me in my head again."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I ask seriously. "Our friend is on some emo shit right now and you mention a stripper resembling my sister?"

"My bad, A. It's just that I never seen shawty this hung-up over some fight with a girl. It's scaring me a lil and I don't know what to say to make her snap out of it."

"She'll snap out of it on her own time." She folds her arms and continues to listen. "But as friends, we can take her mind off what ever is eating her; not bring up shit that makes her think about it more."

"Oh, be forreal, A. You don't even know what's goin on with her. Just ask her what happened; therefore, she can get it off her chest."

"Nah, I don't know if we should." I run my fingers through my hair and lean back on the sink.

"Uhh, I didn't say 'we', muthafucka. I said 'you'." She pushes a finger into my chest to emphasize. "Since I'm incapable of being a good comforter and all." She smirks. "It's probably something that can be fixed with a simple 'I'm sorry' anyway."

"You don't know, Kyla." I reply dryly.

"Yea, well, women are fickle creatures anyways, ya feel me?" Keys phone vibrating interrupts our talk and I see her smile brightly as she reads the text. "I gotta go."

"Who was that?" I ask knowing the answer.

"Zahra." She says bashfully. "She said that she's gonna thank me later for what we're about to do tonight."

I furrow my eyebrows. This answer I don't know. "What's that?"

"Having dinner with Nasir's folks…they know their son is dating someone and they wanna meet the lucky _girl_…which is me."

I bust out laughing. "You're kidding, right?" I look up and down at her cause….it's Keys, for crying out loud.

"I wish. Zahra's gonna be there, too, with her _date_..." She rolls her eyes. "Glen."

I keel over in laughter. "How the hell are ya'll gonna pull that off?"

"Man, I don't even know. Everybody is gonna be giving each other the eye. I bet the parents will figure it out right after the appetizer."

"Are you going as you are?" I said pointing out her attire.

"Ha! Naw, A, I'm better than that. I already got a hair appointment to straighten out my hair and I got a cute, girly outfit already picked out."

"Which came from Zahra's closet, right? Except for the top, it probably came from Nasir's closet instead." Carmen says out of nowhere. How long has she been standing there? We both look at her, then back at each other; wondering if she heard everything. "I was getting thirsty." She replies answering our questioning eyes.

"Yea, the button up is his." Keys answers. "It's lilac, so you know it's his." We all chuckle lightly. "I should get going. I'll tell ya'll how it went later."

"Have fun." I say. Carmen chucks the deuce at her while she's downing some orange juice straight from the carton.

"So, what now, Davies?" She doesn't look at me when she asks. I know what's up. She knows what's up.

"Tell me what's goin on with you and Kyla." I don't say it in an aggressive tone; I really am concerned for both of them.

Carmen heaves out a sigh. "I don't wanna talk about it." She walks back into the livingroom and plops down on the couch.

"I think you should talk about it." I come in and sit next to her. She turns up the tv louder as some Spanish song is wailing out.

"_Adonde se fue? Tu amor. _

_Where did it go? Your love._

_Adonde se fue? Tu amor._

_En que yo falle? Quiero saber."_

I grab the remote and turn it off.. "Hey! I was watching that." She yells while cutting her eyes at me.

"I don't care. I'm not gonna have you sitting here listening to some damn Salsa songs about love. That's not how it's going down, ok?"

"It's Bachata." She replies plainly.

"What?"

"It's Bachata, not Salsa. Salsa is more upbeat and lively." She explains.

"Well, be more like Salsa then. Shit." Carmen rolls her eyes at me. "Just talk to me. Please. Maybe I can help."

"Why? You didn't want me dating her in the first place, remember?"

Ok, now she's just being an ass. Here I am trying to help and she's bringing up the past. "Things change, Carmen. We're changing, don't you see that? Just a few months ago, we avoided relationships like it was the plague." She nods her head in agreement. "Now, look at us. We have girlfriends that we actually give a damn about."

"Yet, some things stay the same, Ashley." She says with a troubled expression.

"What do you mean?"

She turns to face me. "I mean what if I can't change? What if I'm not able to care for Kyla the way she cares for me." She stares off into space for a minute. "When she said it…everything turned upside-down for me in that moment."

"What are you talking about?"

"After the masquerade party…." My brain tries to rack what happened after we left. Zah took Keys home, might've stayed the night. Glen and Nasir went to an after-hours spot in West Hollywood. Spencer and I…mmmm, Spencer showed me that a devil can be made out of an angel…I vaguely remember Kyla coming in late at night and hear her door slamming. I must've spaced out cause now Carmen is giving me a sideways look. "Forget it, I can't share this with you. That's your little sister, ma. No way!"

"And you're my best friend, C. Just spit it out."

She sucks her teeth. "Ok, but you asked for it." I stare at her for a moment while she leans back and closes her eyes. "We left cause Kyla wanted to chill; just us two. I thought we'd watch a flick, fool around a bit and clock out cause we were both still on, ya know.?" She laughs slightly at the memory. "But, ummm…she said that she wanted to take things further, so..."

"And did you?"

"We started to." She bites her lip a little. "And her hands felt so-"

"Whoa! Stop right there." I interrupt waving my hands in the air. "I don't want any details of that, ok?" I'm used to listening to Carmen going into details about her conquests, but she can keep this one in the vaults.

"Sorry, it's just I haven't been able to get her or that night outta my head. It's like it's on repeat."

"Trust me. I know the feeling." I know this weekend is gonna change us. I'm gonna have every memory with Spencer locked and stored in my mind. I'm gonna give her a weekend to remember. I look over at Carmen. "What happened after that?"

She pauses before she answers. "She told me she was in love with me." She hisses it out as if she doesn't want anyone to know. "I...I was caught off guard being in the position I was in and the only thing I can think of is protecting her."

"Slow down. What position? Protecting her how?" I ask perplexed.

"Well, she was about to eat me out when she said-"

"Ahh! La la la la la." I say putting my fingers in my ears. "Nevermind, skip that question. What were you protecting her from?"

"Me, Ashley. Protecting her from me; from making a mistake. She left in an instant after I put a stop to everything."

"Did…did u break up with her?" I furrow my brows in disapproval cause I've never seen my sister and my best friend so happy. Why would either of them mess that up?

"No!" She shoots me a hard glare. "…I-I like your sister very much. I care for her in so many ways…"

"But, you're not in love with her." I say it as a statement. Not a question. A flashback occurs where I'm with Jonica and she doesn't say I love you back to me after I have said it. I remember what happened the next day; she was kissing on this other girl from our class. I think she was Swedish. Stupid foreign exchange students and their seductive accents.

"I don't know." She answers truthfully. "I just don't know. That's why I didn't have sex with her. She insisted that we could cause she knows what she feels for me…but I don't. I couldn't go through with it. Not like that."

"Wow…" We sit there in silence; both in our own thoughts. I'm thinking what she's afraid to admit; yet, at the same time, I'm getting a lil nervous about my own relationship. "Ashley?"

"Hm?"

"How do you know when you're in love?" It's been a long time since she asked me that. The first time it was more like a joke cause she thought Jonica herself was a joke.

"Shouldn't you have asked your mom this question when you were a little girl?" I question her humorously. She doesn't find it amusing.

"I didn't feel much love in the air growing up, ya know."

"Yea, I know. My bad."

"Like I'm being forreal now. You're just like me, Ashley. Remember when we said love was for suckers. Well, how do you know you've become a sucker? You experienced it once."

"Yea, but it was short-lived." I sigh because I'm no longer in disappointment. It was a lesson learned for me.

"But, it happened." Carmen points out. "You were like a slave to it."

"It's when you don't think of yourself as that." I suddenly reply; she gives me a quizzical look.

"Huh?"

"When you don't see yourself as a sucker; or a slave for that matter. You don't see yourself as anything really. Except one-half of a whole and sometimes not even that. Sometimes you just see 'us' and not 'me' and 'her'." I say pantomiming for emphasis.

"So, you lose your individuality. You lose who you are." Carmen snorts.

"Not necessarily, it's-"

"What then?" She cuts me off. "Cause the two women that have always been there for me have both been hurt by love. I don't want that happening to me, you feel me? Or worse; me doing that to Kyla."

"You have broken hearts before, Carm, with no remorse. What makes my sister different? It can't just be because she's my blood." I reply using a little reverse psychology on her.

"You mean besides the fact that you punched me when you found out me and Kyla were together?" She says smirking.

"You realized you won that fight, right?" I chuckle. "In more ways than one." A few moments pass by. "You have my sister's heart, so deal with it. Don't run away from it like a pussy."

She cuts her eyes at me. "I'm not a pussy."

"Yea, you kinda are." I reiterate.

"It's not like you are making any vows of love to Spencer. You're just as confused as I am." She retorts.

"…You're wrong, Carmen."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not confused at all." I get up and walk around the living room. "I know where I'm at with Spencer. I mean I am scared cause it's been such a long time that I've been in a relationship. I tried to think of her as a challenge and that's it." I confess with all seriousness. "It's not though, Carmen. She's awakened something in me again and no matter how many times I'm with her, I get those butterflies in my stomach."

"You sure it's not just gas?" She laughs while getting up too.

"Ew. Shut up." I mug her arm. A moment goes by. "I'm tired of jumping in one girl's bed to the next, aren't you?" She looks down and says nothing. "I want something stable. Love has turned me into a ho, so maybe love can turn me into a housewife." I smile slightly at my own calculation.

"Maybe, maybe not." She shakes her head in disbelief. "Do you think you're in love with her?"

"No." I answer honestly.

"No?" She repeats; she gives me a shocked expression.

"Why are you surprised?"

"Cause of all that gooey shit u just said about butterflies and turning hos into housewives and shit." She opens the door and walks me to my car.

"I'm saying no to your question because I _know_ that I'm in love with her, not _think_. There's a difference. I'm letting Spencer _know_ how I feel tonight." I breathe out.

Carmen whistles. "You're sure about this? What if she doesn't feel the same? What if she's still in love with her ex or something?" I cut my eyes at Carmen. She know she's in the wrong for that. I would tell her don't push her fears on me, but I'll be the bigger person this time. "You know what, Ash? I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. I'm just…"

"No worries." I hold my hand up. I breathe in and out deeply to gain my assurance back. The times we have spent together and all the talks we've had, there's no way I don't have her heart…right? "I guess I'll find out tonight, huh? You should find out if my sister will forgive you, that's what you need to be concerned about."

"Yea, you're right." She puts her head down in thought. "What should I do?"

"Well, she'll be home alone this weekend; I'm taking Spencer up to the woods. You should look after her for me."

Carmen's eyes shoot up to see if I'm telling the truth. "You're taking her to the cabin? You realize that you've never taken any girl up there?"

"Yes, I'm aware of it."

"As much as I begged for us to throw a party where it's us and like 15 -20 girls, you're taking Spencer?"

I giggle. "Yup. Sounds romantic, doesn't it?"

"Man, fuck you, A. Now, I know you're in love. You sound cheesy as hell." She gives me a smirk and we give each other a dap/hug. "Good luck and please do everything I would do, multiple times."

"I'll try to remember that." I reply with my nose-crinkling grin. "I gotta go meet Kyla at this shop now, so I can pick up the rest of this stuff for the weekend."

"You're taking your sister with you to go shopping so you can impress your girlfriend?"

"I'm not trying to impress her. More so, I'm trying to show that she's important enough for me to impress." I hop in my car and start her up. "Maybe you can take a page or two from me.." I rev my engine up. Oh, the sweet sound that it makes.

"Yea, yea, yea…" She flags me off as I put on my stunnas. "Will-will you tell her I said call me…please?" She pleads with her sad gray eyes. Awww.

I shake my head. "You're gonna have to better than that, Sanchez." She crosses her arms in frustration. "I'm serious. Make it right with my sister. Kyla loves you…and as much as you try to deny it to her, me and especially yourself; you love her, too." I pull off some, but stop for a split second. "Chickenshit." I add cackling. I speed off blasting Lupe while I see her flip me off in my rearview.

By the time, I meet up with Kyla at the shop called The Pleasure Chest, I get a text from C telling me 'Thanks for the talk' and to not worry about leaving a key cause she got another copy of one done after we made up. Ha! That sneaky bitch. Whatever she does, it better be good.

"You're late." Kyla deadpans as she texts on her cell phone.

"First of all, what type of cheesy-ass name is 'The Pleasure Chest'? I bet it's a bunch of lurkers working here." I reply not acknowledging her annoyance. "Second of all, you texting your boo for a little make-up session? I will be gone the whole weekend, ya know." I nudge her with my elbow.

"Nope, I'm texting Glen." She replies plainly. "I'm trying to calm him down for the dinner. He's scared shitless. I told him if he can get through it, he can do a body shot off of me at the Kappa party tomorrow night." She starts walking into the store and I follow after. "By the way, Dad wanted me to tell you not to fuck in the master bedroom. Use your own."

"How is he going to know?" I chuckle.

"I think he meant it as a joke, Ash. You know how Dad is." She wanders around the store.

"How did you find this place?" I ask curiously while fondling the assortment of lingerie outfits. Hmm…this midnight blue would look great on me. This hunter green one, too. "I didn't really think of it as your style."

"Glen and Keys put me onto it." Kyla replies. Of course, they did. She picks up a package that says 'box of roses' on it. "Here this will be good."

"Rose petals? Really? What if they already shriveled up?

"It's air-tight. They're not withered. Get some pheromone candles, too." She hands me these red candles and I sniff at them.

"Do these things even work?" I ask skeptically.

"Keys said they do. She said Zah couldn't keep her hands off her."

"That's because Zahra already fell for Keys' charm and Spencer has already fell for mine, so maybe you should use it for yourself." I pat her back jokingly, but from her eyes she took it personally. "Sorry, sis, I didn't mean to say it like that."

"It's fine." Kyla says curtly; she picks up the pace and heads to the dressing room. "We should get a move on, you gotta pick up Spencer in an hour and it's already getting dark. You might get lost."

"I know where the cabin is." I reply

"We haven't been there since we were like 12-13, Ash. You sure?"

"Of course, I am." Kyla gives me a sideways look as I pick up a can of cherry-flavored whip cream. "Should I get this, too?"

"You're kidding me, right? We're doing romantic, not sleazy."

"It's not sleazy. And I'm doing something romantic; I'm taking her out of the city and away from all of you guys for a couple of days."

"Oh, what are you gonna say?" She grabs the can from me. "Spencer, I love you so much. I never felt this way about anyone….which is why I want us to get totally naked, so we can lick whip cream off of each other." She smirks; I just laugh at her. "Oh, wait, I forgot about that nose crinkle thing you perfected since you were 10." She smiles in the way that I do. Kinda creepy to see it on Kyla though, it almost looks sinister.

"Are you done mocking me?" I ask dryly.

"For the sake of meeting your lady on time? Yes, I am." She looks at the lingerie outfits in my arms. "Are one of these for Spencer? Cause Glen already took her shopping for your weekend together."

"Glen?" I shake my head. "Isn't that a bit..weird?"

Kyla shrugs. "Not as weird as me helping you. I think it's a twin thing though." She pauses for a moment. "You know, she's really excited. She's been begging me to tell her what tricks you got up your sleeve."

"No tricks, Kyla. This is way different." I exhale deeply; she has her back turned to me so she can't see that my nerves are a little on end. "You think it be too much if I gave her a gift?"

Kyla scrunches her face up in thought. "That depends. It's not one of these, is it?" She whips around and is holding this sickly pale-skin double-head dildo.

"Eww, Ky, put it down." I look at in disgust while she busts out laughing.

"Sorry, it's just I never held one of these. It's so floppy." She shakes it a little so it flops around.

"Don't even think about it. You would have to master the art of scissoring first and trust me; it's not that fun to begin with." I take it and throw it back on a table. "Now, I'm trying to get your opinion on an important question here.

"Right.." She said getting back to the agenda. "I don't think it would really matter if you did or didn't, I mean you're always buying her a shirt or some sneakers. I bet once you go down on her, you'll buy her a car." She teases.

"Whatever, Ky. She would have to be wifed up to me to get a car."

"Well, Ash, you lesbians do move fast, so.." She rolls her eyes and smirks.

"I know you're not talking." I push her playfully. "You're half of one which you mean half as fast as me." I head to the dressing room. "In everything." I add.

"Fast-ass is what you are." Kyla mutters.

"I heard that."

"You always do, sis." She grabs one of the lingerie outfits; I cut my eyes at her. "You're not gonna need both of these."

"Fine." I sigh. "It's probably better than this shit. We should go to Victoria's Secret." I'm pretty sure Victoria's Secret wouldn't be playing that annoying Friday song like this store is. Who the hell is Rebecca Black anyway?

Kyla flags me off and shuts the door "Meet you in the middle so we can do our Naomi Campbell walk." She says jumping up to show her cheeky grin. You know how tall dressing room doors are.

As I put on the lingerie set, I go down the list of what I already have. I stocked the fridge; I made sure the electric was working. Tuned up my dad's guitar. Put fresh silk sheets on the bed in master bedroom. Ha! Dad was right about me. I'm so gonna use that bed.

"Ky?" I call out as I bring the straps of my bra up. Damn, my boobs look good in this.

"Yea?" She answers back.

I clear my throat a little. "Thanks." I say staring at myself in the mirror. It's silent for a moment on her side; she's probably staring at herself, too. I never thanked Kyla (or anyone, really) for much, but this part of my life is something to be thankful for.

"What are sisters for?" Kyla calls out. "I'm helping you score here. Finally." She replies dramatically.

"Shut up before I throw the hanger at you." I chuckle. "Seriously though. I meant from the start; being friends with her. Putting in the good word. Everything." I don't hear anything.

"Like I said, Ashley; what are sisters for? Just stop getting so sentimental on me. What happened to my sister who didn't give a damn?" She quips. I know she's trying to make it less awkward than it already is.

"She started giving a damn when the there was someone worth giving a damn about." I reply. I smile at myself and do a little turn to see the rest of my outfit. The way the lace stops makes my butt look a little more round. Spencer won't be able to keep her hand off me. "I think I need to get a touch-up on my tattoo." I add coming out the dressing room. "You almost done.?"

"Yup." She swings the door open and poses. She looks almost as good as me half naked…almost. "What you think?"

"You're alright." I flag her off. She folds her arms and frowns. "I'm kidding; you look hot. C is gonna have a fuckin field day. I'm so jealous of your natural tan, Ky." I bump her a little with my hip and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm probably not getting it anyway." She replies sadly; I give my sister a sideways glance. I wish she would just talk to me about it. She fiddles with the waistband of the panties. "Besides, it's kinda tight in the crotch area." She adds with a limp smile; she must've picked that up from Carmen.

"Fine, I'll get it if you change your mind." I make her face the mirror and stand next to her. "Cause we Davies look best with minimal clothing on." I declare with pride; Kyla gives me a dap. The Friday song finally goes off. THANK GOD. Another song comes on. "Oh, I love this song. This takes me back." I start dancing a bit. My sister just shakes her head out of embarrassment. "Come on, Ky, dance with me." I plead taking her by the hand.

"Bitch, we are in a sex store and you want me to dance with you while wearing this?" She points and does an up-and-down motion with her fingers.

"Stop being a prude cause you're not and dance with me." I twirl her around and she begins to giggle while we tango in the dressing room; Kyla and I belt out the chorus.

"_And it's just like the ocean under the moon_

_Well, that's the same as the emotion that I get from you._

_You got the kind of lovin' that could be so smooth, yeah._

_Give me your heart, make it real _

_Or else forget about it."_

"Remember when Dad took us to see him? We were so excited because we knew the lead singer from Matchbox 20 was on tour with him." Kyla grins at the memory.

"I know, right? You were screaming your head off." I add. "After you left to go back home, Ky, you wouldn't believe how long it took me to learn the solo part on guitar?"

"I remember." A familiar voice says. I stop dead in my tracks. No. Not here. Not now. Not while I'm dressed like this; dancing like some teenybopper. "In fact, you tried to impress me with that song. Remember, Ashley? Or is that too long ago for you to remember?" She stares at me with those ice blue eyes of hers. Spencer's eyes are more subtle; hers are just cold and cut right through.

"Not long enough, Jonica." I narrow my eyes at her; she just shrugs. "What are you doing here?"

"Do you mean what am I doing here in this dressing room? What am I doing here in this store? Or what am I doing here in L.A. again?" I glance at Kyla; whose eyes are shooting lasers through Jonica's frame. "Hello again, little Ashley. Still looking tempting. Has Carmen screwed up yet? Cause if so, I-"

"It's Kyla." She cuts her off harshly. "And I know you're not trying to hit on me again while my sister is standing right here."

"I thought I could get a 2-for-1 deal. I've always had a thing for sisters." She grins mischievously. Kyla stomps towards her ready to bitch-slap some respect into her, but I catch her cause I rather not get throw out of a store in bra and panties. "Whoo! Easy, Kyla. I was just joking. You know me."

"From what I know, you're a sleazy-ass, bad dyed-job havin, hipster-wannabe bit-" Kyla sneers.

"Kyla!" I push her into the room she came out of. "Go, get dressed, alright? Lemme handle this."

"Yes, run along, little girl." Jonica adds. She shoos with her fingers. "Cause I could have you thrown out of this mall in an instant. My father owns this whole establishment now." She sends me a cocky smile.

Kyla gives me a long look and then throws another dirty glance at Jonica. "I forgot 'snotty snob'." Kyla says to me. I smirk at her name-calling. "Don't take too long."

"You're shameless, Joni." I blatantly point out.

"That's my middle name." Jonica leans on one of the doors and makes a low whistle. "She's a feisty one, isn't she? I like that. Of course, you already know my favorite type of woman."

"One: Not another word about my sister." I hold my hand up. "Two: You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?" I fold my arms in a defensive stance cause obviously I'm a bit exposed right now.

"I wanted to come back to my hometown. A lot of memories here." She looks directly in my eyes. "Is that so bad?"

I look away from her and go back to my dressing room. "It's whatever, Joni. You always do what you want."

"From what I hear, you do the same." She leans onto my door. "I heard for awhile you were breaking girls left and right with Carmen…is that true?"

"Yup." I say quickly throwing on my own underwear. "But not as much anymore."

"Really?" She replies with a mix of surprise and sarcasm. "When did you start following Carmen's footsteps?"

"When do you think, Jonica?" I retort. I zip up my jeans and throw my sneaks back on.

"You don't have to take that tone with me, Ashley. It was just a question." I hear my door open. Damn, I thought I locked it. "I'm just wondering how you been is all. Still have a body of a goddess, I see." She's now standing 4 inches from me and I smell her cologne on her. She always used cologne more than perfume for some reason. "You've always been in the back of my mind, Davies."

Her eyes gaze at me sincerely and I look down for a second. I always seemed to act sheepish when I was around her. "I've been alright, no thanks to you, Joni." I say assertively. I put my shirt back on quickly. "And please cut the act out; you don't think of anyone but yourself."

"True…but I always remember the ones that I miss the most." She smiles, but I've seen it on her when she thinks won something. C used to tell me about that look every time she would run into her. "And I'm not afraid to admit that." She touches my cheek with the back of her hand, but I slap it away and she snorts. "What? I can't show affection."

"No." I say with boldness. "You can't." I stare her down; Jonica just flashes me a conceited grin. I don't remember her being this egotistical.

"Oh, come on, Ashley. We've got history together." She adds seductively.

"A very brief history. A little over a month of you saying you love me and then screwing me over."

"I never told you I loved you." She replies honestly. "Maybe your memory is distorted, Ash, but I just said 'ditto'. I never said the words. I still got you in the end though, right?"

My mind goes back to our first time having sex; me telling her I loved her…she never did say the same words back. "Fuck you, Jonica." My anger is rising now. "I'll admit you had something on me, but for you to have the nerve to think you can just come find me in L.A. and I'll be under your control again. You must've lost whatever brain you still have."

She gives me a sly look. "You really think I came back here to find you? I just stumbled upon you. It must've been fate for us to see each other again. Let's play it out."

"Fate is a bitch with attachment issues" Jonica scoffs as she moves closer; she leans in to kiss me, but I slap her before she can reach my lips.

"Ow! Was that necessary?" She yells angrily; her eyes have become paler in color.

"As well as boundary issues." I continue on. "Cocky bitch." I bump past her to get the door and my pocketbook falls on the floor. Shit! I try to pick up everything in a hurry, but she bends over in and picks up my cell.

"At least take my number down in case you change your mind, Davies." She urges subtly.

"You just don't give it a rest, do you?" I reply picking up my stuff. Where the hell did Kyla go?

"Nope." She grins widely. She unlocks my phone herself and stares at the wallpaper. "Who's this?" She asks with interest.

"How did you-?" I snatch my phone away from her. She was always fast with her hands.

"You're still the same old Ashley deep down, using your dad's birthday as your passwords." My nose flares up knowing she still knows that much about me; yet I never really knew much about her. I start to walk off when she calls out. "Is her name Spencer?" I turn back around in shock, but I don't let her see it. Jonica walks back up to me and bites her lip in mock-sadness. "No wonder she turned me down. She's banging someone as hot as you."

My jealousy starts to boil under my skin, but it calms down once I figure out why she's doing this. She wants a rise out of me whether it's anger or arousal. Once I realize it, I just smile. "My girlfriend.." I emphasize the word. "had good reason to turn you down. You're poison, Jonica." She rolls her eyes and sighs. "You always have been and always will be.

"How can you say that when I showed you how to love a girl, Ashley? All the ways to make her feel good." She watches my reactions with her sadistic blue eyes, but I don't give her the satisfaction. "Have the girls hung up over you, too. You should be thankful." I scoff at her. The chick's got balls.

"No, I shouldn't. You turned me into a sex-crazed monster with pretty much no remorse. All the girls I fucked and fucked over have been because of you. I was scared to take any chance of a relationship because of us." I shake my head at all the faults. I committed with women; some were asking for it, most weren't. Still, it doesn't make it right.

"Because I left my mark on you." She answers blatantly. How did I fall for such a tool?

"Yes…but, even your hold on me grew less and less. That and one lousy nut after another got boring when there's no meaning to it. Being with Spencer has meaning to me, not you anymore."

"But, you were in love with me." Jonica reiterates. "I'm your first. In everything."

"The love I had for you was puppy love compared to the love I have for Spencer and guess what? I'm grown now." I shake my head and do a slight head-tilt that I've picked up from my girlfriend. "Too bad you'll never be...I pity you, Jonica, because you're too much of a coward to experience the real feeling." I counter in a smug tone. Jonica stares at me for a moment in resentment; her eyes now a little red. I hold my phone up and look at the time. "I'm so glad that we caught up, Joni." I say sweetly. Fake, of course. "But, my lady awaits and I never disappoint." I pat her on the shoulder and switch away; this time I'm not turning back.

"I'll see you around, Davies." She calls out. I don't answer back; I just throw up the deuces. I send a text to Spencer to tell her I'm on my way and I text Kyla to tell her to meet me in the car while I pay for the rest of my things.

"Did you at least slap her for me?" Kyla asks as soon as I hop in the car.

"Yes, Kyla."

"And you told her that you're happily in love with Spencer?"

"Yes, Kyla." I put the car into drive and speed off. I'm surprised I never banged out or got a ticket.

"And you told her to go fuck herself?"

"She's got the point, Kyla." I crack up at my sister's incessant questioning.

"Good." She pauses for a moment. Don't worry, she'll start talking soon. "Did you end up paying for the other lingerie set, too?"

"It's in the bag, Kyla." She's so predictable.

"Yay!" She claps like a 5-year old. "Thanks, Ashley."

"Mhm." Silence again. I start to think about how I should set the bedroom up. Would the rose petals set it off? How am I gonna keep her out the room before we take it down for the night?

"Ash?" Kyla's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Kyla, I'm in my thinking bag now, alright?" I say tersely; she frowns a little. I heave out an exasperated sigh. "What is it?

"Just promise me one thing."

"Fine. I promise you that I will never ever date somebody like Jonica ever again."

"Thank you!" She smiles and lightly punches me in the arm. "Any girl that acts like that and hits on your little sister-."

"And girlfriend." I add sordidly; she gives me a puzzled look. "She hit on Spencer, too."

"Oh, that alone deserves a beatdown."

"I'm gonna need you to stop watching Bad Girls Club. And the Real World. It's melting your kindness away."

"Just get me home so I can watch them, I missed last week's."

"Yes, ." We both smile at each other as I speed down the highway.

3 Hours Later

I'm on my calm tip as I'm cruising down the dirt-paved roads. The city lights have disappeared about 20 miles back. I don't remember the trip being so long; maybe because I used to be asleep for the most part. At least we stopped by the old, home-town restaurant. I look over at Spencer and see that she's conked out. We must've been thinking alike cause we're both wearing skirts. Spencer's is riding up by the way she is positioned. My hands start to inch over to her thigh before my morality kicks in.

"Dammit." I whisper to myself. "Pull it together, Davies." I start tapping the steering wheel to the beat of the music; anything to get my mind off of Spencer's soft skin.

"Idle hands are the Devil's tool, you know? " I hear her groggy voice say. I look over and she's grinning at me; which makes me grin back at return.

"I knew you weren't really sleeping." I put my hand on her knee and inch my fingers up. "So, what should I do with them?" She giggles, but brushes them off immediately.

"You can keep them on the wheel as well as your eyes on the road."

"Awwww, come on, baby blue." I whine; which makes her giggle even more."

"Ashley, we're not even in the cabin yet and you already can't keep your hands off me." She does a cocky head-tilt. She's just making it worse.

"I can't help it; you're just so damn tempting." I pout; she blushes and gives me a kiss on the cheek for the compliment. "I hope there's more where that came from."

"There is, but you have to behave."

"Trust me, I can control myself."

"Is that so?" I nod my head while keeping my eyes on the road. I know there's a slight bend coming up and then I'm there. I hear her unbuckle the seatbelt and see her blonde hair flash in my vision.

"Spence?" I feel her full lips on the side of my neck; kissing me lightly. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what?" Her fingers are lightly draped on my thigh; drawing circles on it. "What was that about control?"

"You're making it hard, you know." I glance at her. Part of me wants her to inch her fingers closer; but if she does, I know I'm gonna have to pull over and handle my business right now. "That's it. I'm never wearing a skirt around you again."

She lets up and sits fully back in her seat. "I don't think you'll be wearing much of anything this weekend."

I shoot her a shocked look. "I must've really turned you out, haven't I?"

"Shut up." She playfully punches me in the arm. "You really are full of yourself, Ms. Davies." And soon you will be full of me, too. Of course, I don't say it. I just wink as I make the last turn.

"We're here." I announce proudly. The sun is almost down, but I made sure to at least leave some type of light on. "Welcome to the Davies secret getaway."

Spencer doesn't say anything. Her eyes are bugged out at the sight of it. "This is your family cabin?"

"Yup." I reply; I get out the car and open the door for her because that's what a gentlewoman does. "It's pretty cool, huh?"

"Ash, this isn't a cabin. It's a house in the woods." She points out. I start to grab our bags. Hers feel extra light; which makes me feel like I'm some sort of diva with all the shit I'm lugging around.

"It still has a homey feeling." We stand there at a moment and look at our weekend getaway. Ok, so it looks like a Victorian house in the middle of the forest. My dad wanted us to have space to run around in when it was too dark to play outside. "Is it too much?" I ask nervously. I've been the type to flaunt my family's wealth, but with Spencer, I don't want her to think I'm some rich snob.

"No…it's just right. It looks like a honeymoon getaway." I'll remember she said that. Marriage seems like a very long stretch, but it's not impossible. I feel like anything is possible with Spencer. She grabs her bag and slings it over her arm. She holds her hand out for me and gives me a bright smile. "Shall we?"

"I l-I'll follow your lead." I swallow my words before she notices it. It's too early in the night to just blurt out that I'm in love with her. I want it to be special. I always go out with a bang. Spencer walks up to the door; which I knew was locked. "The spare key is in the cactus pot." She digs on the sides and fishes it out.

"You're telling me all your secrets now?"

"I have nothing to hide from you." Her cheeks get rosy as I plant a quick kiss on her.

"Neither do I." She opens the door and the fresh scent of Pine-Sol hits our nostrils. I might've over-did it with the cleaning, but it has been awhile since any one has been up here. "Wow, you really spruced up the place."

"Yea.." I rub the back of my neck out of embarrassment. "It was a mess when I got here."

Spencer nods her head and walks around; I see her glance over at the bearskin rug. I should've put that in storage. Shit! "Sorry. My dad bought that during his Austin Powers phase-"

"You don't have to do that, Ashley." She silences me with her fingers. "I know you're trying to make up excuses for your money and it's fine. It's how you grew up, it doesn't define you." She shows off her pearlies to me. "Ok?"

"Ok." I kiss her fingers, then kiss her whole hand, and I'm making out with her in the middle of the livingroom. I'm in trouble for this weekend. "You know I can show you the rest of the house later and we can.." I trail off because I start kissing her ear.

"Uh-unh. First, you're going to show me the rest of the cabin. Then, we'll race all through this house just for the hell of it. Loser gives back and foot massage."

"I like the way you think." I give her a nose-crinkling smile and take my baby blue on the grand tour.

Five bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, the recreational den with the pool table, and the kitchen with the island table were all shown. This place is actually smaller now that I'm older; Spencer doesn't think so though. I didn't show her the attic cause I rather her not see the old photos of me and Kyla running around like Mowgli from the Jungle Book.

We stopped racing round the house once Spencer slipped on the bear-skin rug in the second lap. After I controlled my laughter and helped her up, I told her she won. I mean come on, you can't let your girlfriend _not_ win after she just bust her ass.

"Wow, Spencer, I knew I could sweep you off your feet, but that was just ridiculous." I prop her feet up and go to work. I'm not a foot person really; although, I have left a woman's bed before on a Boomerang type of note. Spencer's feet are cute though cause she has her toes painted like a ladybug. "How's that feel?" I ask.

"Like heaven." She sighs and leans back; I just grin at her relaxed frame. She fiddles with the remotes. "Which one is to turn the tv on?"

"There isn't one." I reply.

Spencer furrows her eyebrows. "I didn't notice."

I grab one of the remotes. "That's because we have a projector screen. Kyla wanted the whole movie feel when we watched tv together as a family, so Dad got rid of it."

"This place is so cool, Ash." I give her a modest smirk. Can a smirk be modest? "Can I ask you something?"

"Mhm." I start on her other foot. "You can ask me anything you want."

"Would you ever want to move out here? To the peace and quiet of nature's sounds?" She laughs at herself. "I sound like a brochure."

"Yea, you do, but to answer your question; I don't know." I shrug my shoulders. I hear her sigh again, but I don't know if it's caused by massage now. "I'm more of a city girl. Flashing lights and whatnot."

"Yea, me too. But, it's so beautiful out here." I watch her intently as she tilts her head towards the window. The stars are bright and the moon is full; just like it was when we first kissed. It's a little cloudy though. "It gives you time to just think and be. The right atmosphere to figure out what you want most out of life. Do you know what I mean?" Spencer gazes at me with those crystal blue eyes of hers.

"I know exactly what you mean." I have the sudden urge to kiss her all over. I know she wouldn't mind it, but I'm trying to keep a lid on myself until we get to the bedroom. "What do you want most out of life, Spencer?

"I want what everybody wants." She puts her feet down and brings me up closer to her. "Happiness." She whispers; I finish off the distance and we're kissing again. I wonder if I brought extra lip balm. "Mmm." I hear her mumble in satisfaction. "Make that two things."

"I know. You can't live without these lips." She touches my lips with the tips of her fingers and outlines them."

"Among other things." I lay us down on the couch as we continue kissing. My lips part the same time as her legs does. I roll my hips into her as I lightly nip her ear. "The night is still young, Ash."

"Mhm." I reply as my hand slides up her shirt. Spencer pulls me closer by grabbing on the front of my skirt. "I'm glad we're alone; away from everyone. We can be..." She bites my bottom lip and my eyes roll back a little. "as open as we want here."

I know that if I wanted to I can take her right now; but my conscience in the voice of Kyla is telling me to cut it short. "We should cool off."

"Why?"

Because I'm in love with you and I want it to be perfect. "Because I have some surprises for you." I answer; I had to fight myself on that one. "But, not until later." I raise myself off of her. "Are you in the mood for dessert?"

"Are you on the menu?" She jokes, but I see that she's serious about her answer.

"No, I'm your midnight snack, baby blue." I sway my way to the kitchen cause I know she's watching me from behind. "I have our favorites; Mint Chocolate Chip and Butter Pecan. How much you want?" I grin.

"I want all of it." She claps her hands. "Let's pig out!"

I chuckle at her giddiness. "You sure. It might keep you up all night."

"Even better." Spencer winks; I lick my lips in amusement.

"I have to use the little girls' room real quick. How bout you make me a bowl and pick a movie out for us on Netflix?"

"Ok, Ash." I give her a peck on the cheek and head upstairs to the master bedroom. I go to my bag and pull out the jewelry box; contemplating on whether to give it to her tonight or tomorrow. Would it be too much if I gave her this? I never gave women jewelry before. Hell, I never bought them clothes or anything else unless it was dinner and I knew I was going to get laid that night. Spencer though…she's not just a woman to me. I sit on the bed for a minute and look out the window; it's starting to drizzle. I wonder if it's supposed to be a storm tonight. I should've checked the weather for this area before I left. I put the box back in my bag and head to the bathroom.

I look back in the room and realize we'll probably come up here once the movie ends. I pull out the packet with the rose petals and it bursts open with the petals all over the place but the bed.

"Fuck!" I yell out in frustration. I pick up the petals and toss some on the bed.

"Is everything ok up there?" Spencer calls out. I hear her creaking up the stairs.

"Yea, babe, everything is fine." I call out cheerfully. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Ok, I picked The Sixth Sense. Is that cool? I haven't seen it in so long."

"Yea, umm, it's fine, me neither." I decide to light the pheromone candles right then and there to get the mood going. I'm still skeptical about their effectiveness though. I spread the petals out on the bed some more and lay my lingerie set out as well as grab a blanket for us. "I'm on my way down." I look at the room once more after I shut the lights off. "Perfect."

"Hmm, you must've read my mind. It feels like the temperature's dropping." Spencer shudders as she sits up so I can sit behind her. I throw the blanket over us and she snuggles. "Mmm…that L.A. body heat."

"Shouldn't you be used to the cold being from Chicago and all?" I press play and pick up my bowl.

"I am, but the ice cream was making it worse." She takes my spoon and feeds me a scoop. "That was for the blanket."

I laugh. "No problem. I also turned the heat on. We have electrical heating here."

"That's fancy." She quips; I wrap my arm around her mid-section. "Ashley?"

"Yea?" I glance down at her face and see she's smiling a bit.

"Kyla told me that you never brought a girl up here." She touches my chest and I feel my heart race. "Is that true?"

"Yea, it's true." I take another spoonful of butter pecan ice cream to calm myself.

"Why?" I let that question hang for a moment. The sound of the rain now pouring down makes it more dramatic.

"Because no girl was important enough to bring up here." I gaze directly into her bright blue orbs. "Until now." She flashes me a 1,000-watt smile and reaches up to kiss me. I meet her halfway.

"I'm honored." She replies softly; I hold her a little tighter and she leans into me more.

"Me too."

-Crrraaack! BOOM!-

I wake up startled. Damn, how long have I been asleep? I look into the direction of the screen and it's blank. Matter of fact, the whole room is pitch black. I try to get up, but I'm forgetting that's Spencer is on me.

"Spence." I shake her lightly. "Spence, wake up."

"Hm?" I feel her weight shift. "Did I fall asleep again?" She asks in a child-like voice.

"Yea, you did. We got a bigger problem than that though." I run my fingers through my hair."

"Um, why are all the lights out?" She stands up and I quickly get up to go find a flashlight.

"Exactly. I think the storm knocked the power out." I call out from near the kitchen. I don't say anything for a couple of moments. All you hear is me rustling through the cabinets.

"Ashley?" Silence. "Ashley, what's that noise? Where did you go?" I hear panic in Spencer's voice.

"Right here." I pop up from behind her with the flashlight under my face. "BOO!"

"AHHH-Shhiiit!" She starts slapping me in my arm. "Oh, Jesus! Don't fucking do that to me. You scared me half to death."

"Ok, ok." I reply blocking her hits. "Are you scared of the dark, Spence? I ask mockingly.

She folds her arms and stares at me. She looks so hot when she's mad. Not the time, Davies. "No, only when I'm watching a scary movie with my girlfriend in a secluded cabin am I scared of the dark. There better not be any asylum near here."

"Aww, come here, I'm sorry." Spencer pouts and I pull her towards me. "I won't do that again." I kiss her forehead and she loosens up a little. "I promise."

"Ok, I forgive you." I hand her a flashlight. "So, what are we going to do about the lights?"

"Well, the good news is that there's a generator; we don't have to live like cavemen."

"Cavewomen." She corrects me with a bump of her hip. "Cool, where is it?"

I shake my head. "It's in the back of the house. Outside." I see Spencer quirk her eyebrow. "Is it ok if the rain makes me a little wet before you do?" A flash of lightning hits both our faces; mines with a mischievous smirk and hers with a worried look. "What's wrong, Spencer?"

"Nothing. It's just that I rather you stay inside. Who knows? You might get struck by lightning messing with that thing."

"You serious?" I walk to the back door and see the generator in my own view. "I'll be quick."

"Please. Don't. I don't want you to risk it." She pleads; I turn to see her runs her fingers through her hair. "It would be just my luck that I'm having the best time with you and you get hurt or killed in some freak accident." As soon as says this, another flash of lightning with a roll of thunder comes through. Hmm, ok, yea, I'm not going out there. The lightning might be the wrath of all my past lovers.

"You know what? You're probably right. How bout we just light the fireplace to warm ourselves up again and wait until the lights turn back on?" I rub her shoulder for comfort.

"Yea, that's much better." Spencer agrees. "I'm gonna put the bowls in the sink while you mess with the fire."

"Wait, now I'm in charge of everything?" I ask half-jokingly. "I wear way too many midriffs and heels to be a lumberjack butch." I hear her giggle from the kitchen.

"I think you would look pretty good in plaid." Maybe a plaid bra and panties set would work. I bet she would like to see me in that. "You think we can drink some of this tonight?"

I turn my light towards her and see her hold up the bottle of Moscato. Usually, I would say let's pop it open, but I want a clear head tonight. I didn't even bring the last of my cigarettes. Even though Spencer now knows I smoke, it doesn't matter because I'm quitting. It's a nasty habit anyway, I only picked it up cause Jonica and Carmen smoked; of course, they were smoking two different things.

"How about we save it for tomorrow?" I suggest; she smiles slightly and puts it back. I know what she's thinking. If I'm turning down alcohol with her, it must be a special night. Yes indeed, Ms. Carlin, yes indeed. When she gets back to the livingroom, I already have the fire at a low blaze.

"How did you do that so fast?" Spencer says amazed.

"I'm a jack of all trades, baby blue." I grin triumphantly.

She folds her arms and gives me an amused look. "Really?"

"Alright, I wanted to be a boy scout when I was younger." I said; still teasing her.

"Ash." She pleads. I love when she says my name like that.

"They are already made-to-burn logs, nothing big. There in every fireplace." I put the blanket on the floor and motion for her to sit with me. "Come be romantic with me right now." I urge with a laugh.

She plops down happily. "How can I say no to you?" I put my arm around her and lean in for a kiss which she accepts graciously. Her lips still taste like chocolate mint as well as her tongue. We sit there for the longest; alternating between kissing and just watching the fire do her seductive dance to the beat of the thunderstorm. While all this is going on, my head is running the 3 words in my head.

"This is perfect." Spencer announces.

"I agree." Our eyes connect; my heart starts pounding in my chest. Like it always does with her.

"Your eyes look dangerously sexy with the fire hitting them." She compliments me with a girlish chuckle.

"Thanks." I look from her eyes to her lips and back up again. "So does yours." She gives me a small peck and our foreheads touch. Part of me is saying that this is the right time, to tell her. No one is stopping you, she needs to know. I want to whisper it on her lips. "Sp-"

"Ashley?" She cuts me off. How many times has she done this today? Does she have inkling to what I want to confess to her? "Do you mind serenading me with your guitar?"

She flashes me a coy smile. "I know you brought one."

I sigh out of frustration, but quickly replace it with a pleasant face. "There's already one here. I'll go get it." I pick up my flashlight and head to the den.

"Relax, Davies, you're going to tell her tonight. Even if you have to stop her from talking just so you can say it." I say to myself; I really could use a cigarette right now. I go back in the room and see Spencer staring at the fire. She looks so serene. "So," I say loudly to break her trance. "what would you like to hear?"

Spencer slants her head in thought. "I don't know. I just like hearing you play. Play whatever comes to mind. Woo me with your skills." We both laugh. I ponder for a minute while I tune the guitar a little more; realizing I forgot my capo at home. The song explains us in a way, but it could explain C & Kyla's relationship, too. Guess I'm playing for everybody tonight. "Have you made your selection?" Spencer asks in a posh tone.

"Yes, my dear Spencer, prepare to be woo-ed." I emphasize the last syllable. I get as far as the first two chords of Paramore's 'The Only Exception' before the first two strings pop. "Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me?"

"What? What's wrong?" Spencer asks; concerned. I see the lines of her face in the fire's light just like she can see the anger in mine.

"The damn strings popped." I take my dad's guitar off of me angrily. "This is bullshit."

"Well, can it be fixed?"

"Yea, if I had more the actual electricity back on. It would be stupid to re-string it in the dark. I could poke myself." Seriously, those strings are pointy and sharp. I get up and start to pace near the fireplace. "This is just my luck."

"Ash, it's ok. It's just a guitar."

"It's not just that. The electricity, too. I should've checked the weather report." I look at her with a defeated expression. "I just wanted everything to work out." I wanted the night to be a fizzle, not a bang.

Spencer gets up from the floor; I have my back turned to her while I poke at the fire. "But it has. We're alone and I'm having a wonderful time with you, Ashley."

"Yea, sure." I say sarcastically.

"Come here." I walk over to her sluggishly as she fiddles with something. "How about you dance with me?"

I give her a disdainful look. "With what music, babe?"

"I do have a cell phone that plays music." She points out. "The battery is low, but it should play."

"This seems a bit silly." I say honestly; I never danced with a girl that wasn't in a party setting.

"Trust me, it won't be. I'll pick a short song if you want." I think about it. Spencer is trying to make me feel better and I'm just being grumpy towards her. I shouldn't be acting this way. She doesn't wait for a final answer from me; I hear the opening words as soon as the chords drop. It's so quiet in the house; we can only hear the fire and the music.

"_Such pretty hair._

"Ashley Davies, may I have this dance?" Spencer holds out her hand and grins sweetly.

"Yes, you may, Ms. Carlin." I grab her hand and in an instant, I spin her around in towards me." I see her eyes light up in surprise and amusement.

"_May I kiss you?_

_May I kiss you there?"_

"Maybe, you are a jack of all trades." She confirms. I pull her closer and wrap her arms around the small of her back; hers are wrapped around my neck. We sway to the woman's sultry voice. The song is so simple, but it speaks volumes.

"_So beautiful you are._

_So beautiful._

_Beautiful."_

"No, I just know I can do anything with you." I do my nose-crinkling smile as she gently rakes through my curls. I caress her face and it feels so warm; every time I lean into her, I smell that French vanilla scent on her. It's making me hungry for her.

"_Please don't move._

_You feel so good to me._

_Hmm, tell me in my ear."_

Her blues are met with my browns as she begins to kiss me. Her hands hold my face in place, but my mind is giving me the signal to say the 3 words now. "Thank you, Ashley." She breathes out heavily after our long kiss. "Thanks for everything these past few months."

"I should be the one thanking you." I reply; just as grateful. She lays her head on my shoulder as we flow nicely. I kiss her shoulder and close my eyes. It's time. "Spencer, I-" She stops what I'm about to say by kissing me again. Dammit, I can't get a break. The song is coming to an end as the last word is sung.

"_Beautiful."_

"I think we should go to bed now, Ashley." Spencer says seductively. What I was going to say has not been pushed back from the look Spencer is giving me now. I don't know if the fire is playing tricks on the lighting, but there's a glow in her eyes that I'm still not used to seeing. I know what she wants and I know just how to do it.

I bite my lip anxiously and for a second, my cocky side is back. "Lead me to the promise land, baby blue." She chuckles at my words and pulls me to her back side. We walk up the stairs like we're one person; it's a bit hard, but we finally make it to our destination. Once she opens the door; her face lights up at the sight of the room. The candles are still burning; the rose petals on the floor look pretty good cause they lead to the bed itself. "What do you think, Spencer?"

"I think you've really out-done yourself." She touches the petals on the bed. Part of me wants to just throw her on the bed and go to work on her, but I'll chalk that up to the pheromone candles or something. I'm holding back a little. "This is so thoughtful." A few moments pass by as we just stand there; both of us feeling a bit nervous now. Spencer walks towards her bag and tries to conceal whatever is in her arms. "I'll go change in the bathroom." I know it must be something revealing because she always changes in front of me now, but I need my own preparation time, too.

"Don't be too long." I wink as she closes the door slowly. Once I hear the door lock, I tear my clothes off and switch into my lingerie set. My midnight blue looks more deep purple under the candlelight. The color still suits me though. I push my breasts up a little more even though they are already perky. I check on little Ashley to see if there's any red bumps. I made sure to get a Brazilian wax 5 days before today. I used to get it the day before until I realize that I'm still red as a tomato down there the next day. Ah, the price for beauty. I rub my hands down my sides to smooth everything out, but you don't really have to smooth out perfection. I know. How narcissistic of me. I debate whether to go back down for the Moscato or not to take the edge off. Tonight is going to be different. Everything is going to be different. I sense it; it's in the air…along with pheromones to make me extra horny. I don't have time to get the drink cause I hear the bathroom door click. I throw on a light robe as sit down in a rush; making sure I look as if I've been sitting here the whole time. Spencer's head peaks out a little and she blushes instantly. "What were you doing in there? Shaving your legs?" I tease.

"Wasn't sure if I should wear this or not." She replies uneasily. She steps out fully from the bathroom and my draws drop. I mean my jaw drops Sorry, my draws wanted to do the same. I scan Spencer's body leisurely. Her blonde hair is now cascading on her shoulders instead of being in a scrunchie all day; the robin egg's blue color of her lingerie set complements her eyes and tanned skin something crazy. Her breasts look so tempting in the bra; it's because of the deep v-cut design. The panties are extra short; barely covering anything. Its design is the same as the bra. Spencer twists her fingers and I see her chest hitch under the gaze of my inspection. "What do you think?" She gulps.

I just shake my head and as I pull her towards me. I spin her around and notice she is wearing a thong. A thong? I've never seen her in this. In fact, I've never seen her in underwear that fully didn't cover her ass. Yea, Glen definitely helped her. "I think you absolutely breath-taking." I raise her up on my lap so she's straddling me and kiss her deeply. "You are beautiful, Spencer." I whisper through the kisses. Spencer doesn't say anything to my compliments, but she acknowledges them. I feel her smile on my lips.

I break the kiss and tilt my head to the ceiling. "Thank you, Yahweh."

She gives me a bemused expression. "Did u just say 'Yahweh'?"

"Yea, my mom is Jewish, you know. Whatever the mom is, the child is." Spencer raises an eyebrow. "Don't worry, Spencer, I'll have you calling out your God, too." I lightly palm her ass which makes her jump a little.

"You know it's all the same divine being, right? Just different paths to it." Spencer says in a light-hearted manner. I love when she gets all deep and everything, but what she's wearing is distracting my third eye.

"Well, maybe we can make each other call all of them out then." I reply. Spencer licks her lips and pushes me down on the bed. I stare up at her and revel in her beauty. How did I get so lucky with this woman? I know I don't deserve her really, but I know I will not give her up nonetheless.

Spencer slides her hands up and down my chest; stopping every so often to trace her fingers on my abdominals and breasts. I roll my hips into her while I caress her thighs. The way her panties are made, I am able to see the outline of her imprint and it's making my own ache. I pull her neck down so she can connect with my lips again. Our kisses are coming out with force; filled with passion more than affection. My tongue does this little move which makes Spencer squeeze my right boob. As she does this, I snake my left hand down to her center and press firmly through her panties. I'm almost about to reach inside until I hear her speak. "Ashley, wait." She breathes out in pleasure. "I really don't wanna rip these clothes off of you. You look so good in them."

I bring my hand back up and gently rub her back. "Yea, I understand. You look good, too." I flip both of us on our sides in an instant and run my finger through her golden locks; she follows my lead. "We can just kiss for awhile." I suggest.

Her eyes twinkle a bit at my innocent proposal. "I'd like that."

Our lips touch and it feels different. It's more precise; more tender. Her tongue parts my lips to deepen the kiss as she lightly scratches my back. I bite her lip in the process and pucker my lips right back up to kiss again. Our legs are intertwined, but we're not grinding into each other. We're just expressing what we feel in the simplest form: bliss.

We stay like this for awhile. I feel right at home. Spencer rolls me on top of her while one of my hands instinctively goes to her hip. I use my other hand to slide her bra strap down; I kiss her shoulder gently while I feel her suck on my collarbone. I let out a low groan. "I guess that's our cue." I murmur into her shoulder.

"Mmmhm." She replies by unbuckling the hooks of my bra. I shimmy out of it and back into her arms again. Spencer gazes at my form for a minute; an innocent smirk developing on her face. "You have an incredible body."

I blush a little, but she won't notice cause of the candle lights. "So do you." She takes me down with her legs. I start to grind my hips into her while she cups my ass and lifts me up. Spencer starts licking my nipples; switching between the two. She has them dangling in front of her face like a fruit from tree. She likes to play these little games like this. "Spencer, stop teasing me." I half-laugh/half-moan.

"Sorry, I just think you should get a taste of your own medicine. You've been teasing me for the past week." She points out. Spencer has a point. I have been cutting things short; it's only because I've been holding out for this weekend. This moment here. She flips me over so she's straddling me now. She unhooks her own bra without a second thought. I remember the days where I had to ask Spencer if I could touch any of her erogenous zones. Now, it's like she's begging for me, too. "You make me feel so alive." She whispers it in my ear once she lays back down on me. My fingers are playing with her nipples as our tongues swirl. I tweak one of them and hear her moan. "Ooh."

I bite my lip as I see her eyes have become an ocean blue color. Spencer attacks my neck with little bites and suctions while her hand zigzags slowly to take my panties off. My breathing pattern changes up as she goes inside my panties. I know she feels how wet I am; usually it takes me to this point to get wet, but I've been drenched ever since we got on the bed. Her kisses become softer once she starts rubbing on my clit more. I take one of her breasts in my mouth and palm the other. Everything seems to be fine until I hear my brain start talking again.

-You horny bastard! You're suppose to be telling Spencer you're in love with her!-

"Ah, fuck." I hiss. "Spence." She giggles; thinking it's me addressing her playing with my opening….and it partly is. But I have to put this on hold for a second to tell her how I feel. "Spencer, wait." I grab her arm to stop her from moving. I wait a moment to steady out my breathing.

"What's wrong?" She brushes my hair out of my face. "Are you not in the mood or something?"

I raise my eyebrows and scoff. "Trust me; I'm always in the mood with you." I lean in to kiss her, but she moves away slightly.

"Well, this past week, you've been…" I sit up a little as she takes her hand out of my panties.

"I know how I've been acting and it's with good reason." I caress her face to comfort her and she leans into my touch. "Spencer; all this planning, this whole weekend has been for you and about you." I hold her tight in my arms as she searches through my eyes. I'm getting fearful under her gaze. My palms feel sweaty and I feel hot and cold at the same time. 7 years; almost 7 years of me not saying the four-letter word to a female and what if she doesn't feel the same?

-Of course, she feels the same dumb ass- Hey, brain! Brain that sounds like Kyla! Shut the fuck up, please!

"You mean a lot to me, Ashley." Her head is laid on my chest and I stroke her hair. "More than any girl I've dated actually." My ears perked up to what she said. I debate whether to ask what's on my mind; fearing that it will kill the mood.

"Does that include-?" I question.

"Yes, it includes her, too." Spencer looks up at me for a split second. "I just thought you should know."

"Well, I want you to know something, too. Ever since I saw you, I knew there was something about you that I had to have. More than physical even when I denied it to myself." I feel her facial movements on my chest. I'm pretty sure she's beaming. That smile is gonna be permanent once I tell her. That is if I ever have the courage. I exhale heavily. I change my positions so as to be face to face with her. "Spencer.." My voice is trembling. "what I'm trying to say is..." It's right on the tip of my tongue, but nothing is coming out. FUCK!

Spencer slightly smiles and plants a soft, wet kiss on my shaky lips. "I love you." She says; it's almost inaudible.

I breathe out a sigh of relief that I've been holding. "Exactly."

"No, Ashley." Her eyes drill into mine. "That's what I'm saying to you." My eyes bug out for a second before I do an audible gulp. "I love you." She says it louder, more confident. "I've been wanting to tell you all night, but I wasn't sure when the right time was.." I'm still speechless. "I know that it's a lot to take in, hell it's a lot for me to say.. but, just tell me you love me just a little bit, too." That snaps me out of my daze.

I grab Spencer by the waist and give her one of the most passionate kisses I've ever had. Promises that I made and promises that I will make went into this kiss. Everything. My past has been absolved; she's what I see in it now. "I love you, too, Spencer." She looks a little taken aback that I actually admit it. I know Spencer is intuitive; she probably knew I would say it. I feel ecstatic though she feels the same. Take that pessimism!

We kiss for a while longer before my libido takes over my mind. Actually, they seem to be working together right now as I whisper how beautiful she is, how I love being here with her, how she's scorching me with every look, every sound, and every touch. While I'm saying these sweet nothings in her ear, I've already taken off her bottoms.

"You are so sneaky." Spencer confirms; I shrug my shoulders and look down at her. We're both bare-ass naked. I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing her in the nude, it's so raw. "Don't make me come too quick." She jests, but I know she's serious.

I smirk and pick up one of her legs and lightly peck it. I do the same with the other before lying back down and doing the same to her torso. "Mmm, so delicate."

"Not completely." She breathes out in a huff. I start to trail down her body with kisses; light biting on certain areas which makes her writhe in response. "Ash, please don't make me beg, baby."

"I won't." I get in position. From this viewpoint, Spencer can see the curve of my ass in the air. I spread her legs open while fixating my gaze on her face. "I'll do what I've thought about doing ever since I met you."

Spencer's eyes bug out for a second and then are filled with lust. "I'm all yours, Ashley." You sure are, Spencer. I smile one last time before I tilt my head down. I've never seen her pussy up close before. Not like this. Her lips down here are fuller than the ones up top and slightly darker, too. Her hair is closely shaved and yes, she is a natural blonde, my fellow muff divers.

I kiss her thighs first; then her lips, then her clit. It's my way of showing respect to her. You never dive right in with the girl you're in love with; that's Sapphic etiquette, ladies. Her breathing gets a little ragged once I lay my tongue flat on her. That's when I go to work. I roll my tongue gently back and forth cause I'm not sure what she may like; yet from the whimpers I'm getting, she must like it some.

"Ooh, Ashley, just like that." She moans out. I glance up and see that she's clutching the pillows.

"Yea?" I suck on her labias a little bit before moving to the hood. "Tell me what you like, Spencer." Yes, please, so I can give you the best orgasm you've ever had. Oh, man, my mouth is getting soaked by her juices. Funny enough, she doesn't taste like vanilla, se tastes like peaches. Somebody must've told her I like peaches. "You are so damn tasty, Spence." I praise between licks; I prop her legs up on to my shoulders for better leverage.. My own vag is pulsating now; wanting the same done to me. I'll wait it out though.

"Mmm...keep going." Spencer's hand has now gravitated towards my head and is pulling on my hair; trying to control my movements. I love when a girl grabs my head while I'm giving her head. Spencer keeps lifting herself up to get more contact and I keep pushing her down by the stomach. "I want you inside me, Ash." Her chest starts to heave up and down. I watch her breasts rise and fall as I lick her opening; I plunge my tongue in as far as it can go; I thrust in and out at a steady pace. "Oh, shit! Jesus Christ, Ashley!" Spencer cries out; she bucks her hips more and that's when I moan into her organ because of my own satisfaction; her inside is so warm. The humming drives her crazy. "Don't stop, please. Don't."

"Mhm." I mumble with my mouth tied up. I replace my tongue with my fingers and curve up; I look up to see her staring down at me. Ooh, she's a watcher. "Are you close?" I ask. I dip my head and flick my tongue on her hood, then sway it from side to side for good measure.

"Ashley, I'm close." She says between pants. I look up and see her lips pressed together and her body is taut; I move my mouth back on to her clit and let her ride out the waves on my tongue "So close. Ahhh!" Her legs clutch together and her walls tighten on my fingers as she begins to climax. "I'm coming, I'm coming." I give her one last stroke of the tongue to finish her off. "Aaaaaasshhhlleeeeey." She bellows out; my legs buckle some when she says my name. I keep my mouth on her until her tremors stop; her whole body is flushed. She looks down and smile at me; I wink at her as I kiss her inner thighs, then her legs and lastly, I work my way back up again. Finishing how I began.

"Well?" I ask as I wipe my face off with the back of my hand.

She ponders for a moment before doing her head-tilt thing. "Can you do that again in about 5 minutes?"

I bust out laughing and swipe her hair out of her face. "I'll do it as many times as you want me to, baby blue." I kiss her gently; I let her taste herself on me which earns me a noise of satisfaction.. "As long as you reciprocate."

"Of course." She lays her head on my chest. "But, first, I really do need those five minutes."

"Of course, you do." I agree in a sly tone. She cuddles against and I breathe in her scent. Peaches and vanilla go great together. A few moments pass before I speak up. "I told you."

"Told me what?" She asks quietly.

"That I would be having you call out your God."

She giggles and twists my nipple a little. "Shut up."

"I love you, Spencer." I say with complete honesty. I peck her forehead as she caresses my stomach.

"I love you, too, Ashley."

After that was said, we actually went to sleep…Ha! You really think we went to sleep after one nut. You must be a virgin or an old man if you think that. Spencer and I barely got any sleep last night. I never knew she had so much stamina or that her tongue could reach places like that. We still have two days here, too. I'm gonna be sore for a week.

I tip-toe back in the room with breakfast for my sleeping beauty; her hair is covering the pillow while the sheets covers her naked frame. Nice sight to see. I've been up for about an hour. I already took a shower, started the generator, called an electrician to come out here just in case, and made breakfast for my partner. Congratulations to me; I've officially become my grandmother.

"I thought you snuck off for a split-second." I hear Spencer's sleepy voice. It's so sexy when it's all raspy and untamed. I set her breakfast on the table and hand her the glass of orange juice. "But, then I thought after last night, there's no way she would have left here." She does a seductive smirk.

"You got that right, baby blue. My sneaking off days are over." I take a sip of my coffee. Mmm…caffeine. "So, are you ok?" I ask a little uneasily. "I mean we said some deep stuff last night."

"Yea, I'm perfectly fine." She tilts her head and smiles. Spencer takes another sip. "What about you? Are you ok?"

I scratch my forehead in deep thought. "You know what?" I walk over and sit next to her on the bed. "I'm more than ok." I plant a soft kiss on her lips and look into those blue spheres of hers. "I'm in love." I flash her the Davies smile which makes her pull me up to her lap. "What are you doing?" I ask as she unzips my shorts. "Spencer?"

"I want my breakfast." She replies as she licks her lips; she takes my shorts off with one swift motion. "You're it." What have I unlocked in this woman?

"But I made you breakfast." I plead.

"Well, I want to thank you in advance." She bites her bottom lip as she runs her fingers up my slit. "Pleeeeease?" She pouts.

How can I say no to early morning head and a pouty face? "Ok. But we have to be quick. The guy to fix the electric will be here in an hour."

"That gives me all the time I need." Spencer grins widely. "Now, come right here so I can just dive right in." She points to her face; I climb right up on her with delight. I've come to learn over-night that Spencer's favorite position is this and trust me; it's allowed to be her favorite with me.

I think later this evening we might use some chocolate syrup or anything else she's willing to try with me. We could be playing checkers for the rest of the weekend and I still wouldn't care; just as long as she's with me. But, for Spencer, besides hearing I love you every night before she goes to sleep (cause she will from me), the best part of waking up is having Ashley Davies in your mouth.

* * *

**So...was it enough romance for you? Was it enough drama for you? Enough one-liners? Do I still got it? *does the catdaddy* You won't believe how many times I kept re-writing. For me, the Spashley chapters are harder to write for this particular story. I hope you enjoyed it though. Again, a million apologies. School (more so, LIFE) has been eating my soul away…that and I'm a big-ass procrastinator, but I just couldn't bare to see another 'favorite story' alert knowing that people probably had to search a few pages back to find something worthwhile. A thousand thanks and lapdances to you all though for sticking with it. Speaking of which; I would like to announce that I have 3 'new' ideas for stories; I have the outlines for each (2 of them supernatural; the other has a dystopian feel). Still debating whether to make this a sequel or not. We'll see. Also, I need a vote. Does anybody want me to write a mini-chapter of what happened at Nasir and Zahra's family dinner with Glen & Keys 'cause I would. Now for random sidenotes: ^_^**

**1. Does anybody think Chris Brown's 'Beautiful People' song one of the gayest songs you ever heard? I just wanna vogue off it. ****2****. When the hell are they coming out with The Lost Symbol movie? I need my Robert Langdon fix dammit. ****3****. Who enjoyed Skins UK this season? I love Frankie. Skins US had its moments (very little); I mostly kept watching for the girls anyway. Does anyone else think Daisy favors Kyla? ****4****. Lupe's L.A.S.E.R.S. album is DAT WORK. Enough said. ****5****. ABDC is back on. Yay! Who do you think will win? Out of the five that I've seen, my vote is on IaMmE crew and Request crew. ****6****. You can insert your own question or random sidenote about me or in general here if you want. I don't mind. Lol! ****7****. I just recently saw this movie called 'I Can't Think Straight'. Watch it, please, it's lovely. ****8****. Much love and respect to the nations of Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and many more that are fighting for their rights; for a better life. Alhamdulillah! ^_^**

**Until next time, fanfictioners. *Merry part***

**Songs used: Adonde Se Fue by Xtreme; Smooth by Santana feat. Rob Thomas; Beautiful by Me'Shell Ndegeocello. **


	24. Between The Kaaba & A Hard Place

**Well, I like to say thank you for the reviews as well as the bunch of times my phone vibrated stating story alerts/favorite stories/etc. It makes me feel so special (*in my Movado voice). Wall dances (incl. an extra pair of panties for the after-effect) for everyone. Alright, time for the mini-chap. I hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I own most of the characters in this chap. Yay to originality.**

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**Keys' POV**

I swear. It doesn't matter where I go, whether the barbershop or the beautyshop; if it's another Black person doing my hair, it is alway the same questions being asked to me: 'What's up with Obama and this medicare? I thought we was gonna see some changes.' or 'Do you think Nicki Minaj's ass is padded?' even, 'All of our Black men leavin us for these White girls and Mexican girls Such a shame….but you know who I would give it up to? That David Beckham. Oooooh, the body on him!'

"Finally!" I walk out of the door and hurry over to my car. That lady wouldn't shut the fuck up. I wanted to tell her that I don't know why and I don't care about any of that shit..but, since it was middle-aged woman with a scorching hot flat-iron in her hand, I wasn't going to do a damn thing. "What time is it?" I say to myself. I look at my phone and see that Zahra sent me a text. It says that they just got done prayer and are about to fix the rest of the food. Good 'cause I'm starving. I need to get out of here, it's getting dark and I'm still in Englewood. I need to pick up Glen.

"Please," I plead; looking up at the sky. "Please, don't let this night be screwed up, Lord." I hop in my car and check myself in the mirror. I haven't seen my hair straight for quite some time; I do a half-smile. My lip gloss beams as I wipe off some of my eyeliner. It's crazy. I look so…feminine; especially since I wasn't able to get my shape-up this week. This as far as I will go with dressing up though. I feel my phone buzzing in my back pocket; why did I put it in my back pocket? Don't you hate when that happens. "Hey, Chi-Chi."

"Yo!" I hear Carmen's voice yell.

"Not so loud, bitch!" I yell back; she starts snickering. "What's good? You sound like you're in a better mood."

"Eh, kinda-sorta. Moms is making me clean up the house; she thinks a little cleaning will cheer me up or at least cheer her up. She said next time; you and Ashley are making the flan custard for her."

"Fair enough. I'll serve it to her topless if she wants." I reply smiling into the phone. "What u up to?"

"I'm seeing if you chickened out yet. You really gonna do this bait and switch?"

"Hell yea. I'm not gonna back out of a free meal or my friends."

"You mean your girlfriend and her cousin." Carmen says attempting to correct me.

"She's not my girlfriend. We don't have a title; we're just having fun."

"Right, right." She replies not believing me. "So, what you wearing?"

"Chi-Chi, the days of you and I having phone sex are over, chick!" I joke.

"You know what the hell I meant, _pendeja_. Are you dressed appropriately?"

"I got on the lavender shirt you ease-dropped on and matching shoes with white-tapered dress pants; ones that show off my as a little."

"You mean with the little ass you have. I told you should let girls hit from the back." Carmen chuckles; I instinctively roll my eyes. My ass isn't that big, but it's not flat either and there's no way in hell a girl is topping me in that position.

"Anyways, I got the lavender flats at Easy Pickins." Like I was going to where heels. Fuck outta here!

She waits a moment; she's probably visualizing what I look like in her head. I'm always in my past lovers' heads. "Sounds good. I know you gotta be at least a little nervous."

"Nope." I lie. "I'm cool, calm, and collected."

"Bullshit. I know you, Keys. You was scared meeting my mom."

"Yea but it's only cause I heard stories of how Latin mothers are with their kids." I hear her chuckling.

"Then you should be terrified since it's an Arab mother. Nasir's mom will have her eye on you." She warned.

"As long as it's not Zah's mom, I'll be fine." Yea, right. I'm prepared to be scrutinized just because they're parents; regardless of their background.

"Oh, she'll have her eye on you once she realizes you're fucking her daughter."

"I'm not fucking her daughter, Carmen." I say getting serious. "She hasn't let me yet."

"Damn, really? But, she lets guys hit-"

"Carmen, shut the hell up, please."

"My bad, my bad. I just…know that you like her a lot. I'm just surprised you haven't persuaded her."

"Maybe I don't want to rush her. This is new to Zah, you know?"

"Oh, please, I don't think so. That's what all the 'straight' girls say. Trust me, you don't want to end up how me and Kelly, except this time, it might be you getting the burn."

"Thanks for your words of encouragement, dumbass."

"Honestly, I say go balls out. Get the girl. Ask Zahra to be your woman." I don't know what's up with Carmen today; she's contradicting herself and I don't think it's just about me anymore.

I look at the rearview mirror for a moment 'cause the thought has crossed my mind since we started this charade, but I'm worried about the outcome. "It's not that easy."

"Pussy." She says immediately.

"You're the pussy. Don't say shit to me cause you haven't even come close to getting Kyla back in your good graces." I say angrily.

"Man, screw you." She spits harshly.

"Screw you." I reply back just as harsh. Now, I'm a bit heated. I am nervous, but I can't show it. What if I let something slip out or offend them or even get offended myself? It's silent on the other end; I hear Carmen sigh.

"Listen. If you need a diversion, in case things get too awkward, send me a text and I got you."

"Thanks." I mumble.

"Also, if you get into trouble, just ask yourself WWBJD."

"Huh?"

"You know, _What would Black Jesus do?_ The little statue you got in the car. I saw it when I got in the other day." She chuckles.

"Yea, it was a present from my mom, alright?" It does look pretty cool. "If you haven't noticed, I got a black Buddha in the back." I spray painted it black myself; I know I'm silly.

"Well, rub his belly for good luck, you're gonna need it."

"Yea, yea, yea. Light one of them big-ass red Voodoo candles for me, too." See? I love the fact that we can curse each other out one minute, then joking with each other the next. Which is why I could never be with Carmen in the first place. It doesn't work for a girl I'm dating.

"It's Santeria." Carmen corrects me half-sternly.

"Whatever, Chi-Chi. Same faith, different language." I turn on Glen's block and see him outside with his arms folded; standing there like a diva. How late am I? "Listen, I'll hit u up later. Glen looks pissed."

"Tell him I said not to act like an ass. Even though, I know he will." Carmen laughs and hangs up.

"It took you long enough." Glen says with an attitude; he waves his phone out to me as he climbs in. "I thought you said you were gonna call when you were on your way."

"I know, I'm sorry, G.C." I pull off in a rush. "I told you my hair might take longer than that. Do you not see this shit?"

"Well, we're gonna be late, Keys." He replies hotly. "I rather not be late to meet my boyfriend's parents."

"You're not. I am." I stick out my tongue. "Your date is Zahra, remember?"

"Shut up." He whines. "Don't get all lovey dovey with my dude either."

"Glen. Me and Nas are both gay. If anything, I should tell you that." I point out. Seriously, he better keep his hands to himself.

"Well, you know what I mean." He pauses a moment. "You look pretty."

"Thank you." I say oddly. For some reason, Glen calling me pretty makes me feel weird.

"I mean it. I never seen you, well, girly." He continues. "I bet Zahra would appreciate it."

"Blondie, stop talking." I don't necessarily like my get-up, but I aim to please. I just have to suck it up. I look over at Glen and I see he got a haircut and a trim goatee; it's more like stubble since he can't really grow facial hair like that. He has on a black shirt with a dark green tie. One up for him..that is until I look further. "Glen, what the hell are you wearing?"

He looks up and down at himself. "What? What's wrong?"

"Are you wearing jeans and flip-flops, my man?" I pinch the bridge of my nose. "We're going to a family dinner, not a damn beach party.

"I gotta take them off anyways, right? It's a Muslim home. You take your shoes off at the door."

"That's gonna draw more attention to you. Did Nasir said it was ok?"

"He didn't say it was _not_ ok?" He grins sheepishly. "And as far as the jeans go, Nas said it was ok to wear jeans as long as they're not ripped. His mother thinks it's fruity."

"But, every pair of jeans Nas wears is ripped." How does he not get caught?

"He and Zahra don't go over there as much, that's why it's important for us to make a good impression. This need goes to well, Keys."

"Yes, I know; which is why I'll look out for you and make sure you don't do some stupid shit." He smiles at me and pats my shoulder. "Of course, you already screwed up by wearing flip-flops."

"Whatever, you don't even realize you still have your labret piercing in, so.."

"Shit." I start to park the car; I got here quicker than I thought. It could also be I was breaking a few traffic laws. Hope that blinking red light didn't catch me. I quickly take it out and look at myself. The hole is barely noticeable; probably because of my lips. You know, the ones that Zahra love to nibble on. Man, she's gonna owe me big. I look over at Glen and I see beads of sweat on his forehead. "You ready to go or what?"

"Yup.." He clutches the door handle for a moment and lets it go. "Nope." He looks at me like a scared puppy. "Am I allowed to be nervous right now, Keys? Cause I'm feeling really nervous. I never had to do something like this and what the fuck was I thinking? Flip flops? "

"G.C.! Chill." I said shaking his shoulders. I chuckle lightly. "I'm nervous, too. But, it's only a couple of hours and then we're done. Then, we can go back to our own peoples, take some shots, light an L, and have some fun. Sounds like a plan?" Glen takes a deep breath before nodding his head in agreement. "Aite, cool."

We both get out the car and walk up to the house. This place looks like it cost some money; Zahra said her and Nasir's parents owned a family business, but never told me what it was. In fact, neither of them talks about their parents. I understand. We can't choose our parents and some of them are assholes.

"How do I look?" I ask Glen as I smooth down my outfit. He saunters around me in a circle and beams.

"Like a sexy femme that shops at Target." I give him a dirty look.

"Well, fuck you very much." At least, he didn't say K-Mart. _Tar-jhay _is the best one. "You look like a Hollister twink that didn't make the cut." He smirks and does the 'blow me' sign. He's such a ho.

I ring the doorbell. Glen is texting frantically on his phone while I keep finger-combing my hair. It's humid outside and my hair will puff up in 5 minutes.

"Are you texting Nas or Zah to let us in? Cause I don't think they can answer if they already started eating."

"No. I'm texting Spencer to see if I should stay or run." He answers in a shaky breath.

"G.C., leave Spencer out of this. She and Ashley are trying to get romantic and you're busy texting her." I shake my head as he starts to hop from one foot to the next. "Stay still."

"I can't." Glen furrows his eyebrows. "I haven't been this jumpy since.."

"You were on top of Nasir." I quip.

"Ha-ha, asshole." Glen replies in a sardonic tone.

"I really hope you don't talk like that in this house." I hear Zahra's voice say; we didn't even hear the door open. Zahra and I make eye contact. I see her eyes light up a little as I look her up and down. "And none of those looks as well."

"How bout footsies?" I wink; she rolls her eyes and smiles a little. She's dressed differently from how I usually see her; her clothes are less form-fitting and she has her hair covered. I think it's called a khimar, but I'm not sure. She told me before that her mom and Nas' dad are siblings; so they think alike. They're more of the conservative type while the other parents aren't.

"How bout palmsies?" Glen adds with a smile. Ok, I'm confused.

"What are palmsies?" Zahra asks suspiciously.

Glen's mouth opens to answer until we hear Nasir's low voice cut through. "Trust me, you don't wanna know." Glen closes his mouth and shrugs while Zahra and I just shake our heads at him. Nasir has a white cap on his head; like a yarmulke, but bigger. I think it's called a kufi. I need to write these words down; expand my mind and whatnot. He's wearing a long-sleeve shirt with loose pants. It's a little weird cause he loves showing off his muscles in a wife-beater or a tight v-neck pretty much all the time.

"Babe, you should've just let me tell them." Glen pleads; Zahra and Nasir's eyes go wide.

"Shhh! Our parents might hear. No pet names tonight; even in our own pairings. Understand?" Nasir says in a harsh whisper; we both nod our heads like we're school children. "Good. I hope ya'll are hungry cause mom cooked a lot of food." He says in a cheery tone. This is gonna be awkward.

We walk in to the little vestibule and take off our shoes. Well, for Glen, I grabbed a pair of socks from out the back of my car when he wasn't looking. "Glen, hold up a second." I toss him a pair of ankle socks. I'm not gonna let my man embarrass himself. "Dude, really?" He looks at me with a sour face.

"Yes, really." He pauses a moment and inspects them. "They're clean, Glen. Fresh out the packet." Please, I'm no bummy bitch.

We walk in to see the parents sitting at the dinner table; talking and eating. Normal enough, right? Well, I forgot to mention the fact that there are like 10 other people sitting there, too. I can't catch every word because it sounds like they keep switching from one damn language to another. Me and Glen share a look of uneasiness to each other and then to our 'dates'. "Nasir, who are all these people?" I ask through a gritted smile.

"They're family, Marquita." I cringe. Why did they fail to mention that it was a reunion going on tonight? "It was last minute, ok? Mom made the calls."

"Ya'll are something else over here."

"Just come on and meet everyone." Zahra says pushing past us. She motions Glen to come on. Even with the over-garment on, I can see her curves. Mm, I got it bad.

"Stop staring." Nasir warns me.

"Sorry, it's just.."

"I know." Nasir sighs. His eyes cut to Glen being introduced to Zahra's parents. "He's dressed well tonight."

"Yea, he looks hot." Nasir gives me a disbelieving look. "Hey, I'm your mouthpiece tonight, ok?" We smile at each other.

"Ok." He puts his hand on the small of my back. I love watching Nasir act straight sometimes, it's amusing. "_Maman, Baba_. I'd like you to meet, Marquita..my girlfriend." He smiles brightly as the parents come over. The father looks stern; Nasir gets his built from him, but his looks her got from the mother. "Marquita, these are my parents, Said and Nadja Annabi." Nasir says a little hesitantly. You sound real calm, macho-man.

"Pleasure to meet you both." I say with a higher octave in my voice. I don't know if it's because I want to sound girly or because of my nerves. I hold out my hand which the father shakes briefly; I guess he's the strong and silent type.

"Ahlan wa sahlan." The mother says to me. She pulls me in and kisses me on both cheeks. Ok, I didn't expect that. At least take me on a date first, Mrs. Annabi. Jeez! "_Elle est jolie, habibi_." His mother pinches his cheek and the father rolls his eyes at her.

"Nadja, don't baby our son in front of his guest." The mother says nothing and continues to smile at us.

"I love your hair, Marquita and lavender is such a beautiful color for your skin." The mom compliments; I see Nasir beaming like some fashionista. "Come. Meet everyone. You must be hungry. We get some weight on you, yes?" She continues going a mile a minute in that slight accent of hers. Nasir must get his bubbly personality from her.

"Uhh.." I glance at Nasir; he just shakes his head amusingly.

"Come. Come." I sit next to Nasir, but I'm facing Zahra while Nas and G.C. are facing each other. Great even, in our fake pairings; we're paired up on opposite sides. But, I can't be focused on that right now. I'm focused on that pita bread and knowing what's in that yellow dip.

Twenty minutes later, I am getting somewhat full. I didn't know that there would be so many different dips. I mean there's hummus, there's baba ghanoush and some other ones I can't really pronounce. Glen is looking as confused as I am with the names, but the tabouleh salad I'm eating right now is on some other level. I look around at the other guests; some of them aren't even covered, in fact, the girls look like they raided Kim Kardashian's wardrobe a bit. Everyone seems to be talking in a mix of Arabic, French, and English. It's even more irritating than listening to Carmen and her mom talk Spanglish; only cause I can't understand either of it. I mean don't it seem like they're talking about you when you hear people near you speak in a different language; especially if you're at the Chinese store or nail salon.

"Can you pass me the stuffed grape leaves, please?" A woman to my right says; one of their other cousins. When we sat down at the table, Zahra's dad introduced us to them. I'm pretty sure her name is Amira.

"Here you go." I smile handing it to her. It's sad I can only remember hers; I guess it helps that she's attractive and-DAMMIT! Focus, Keys. The girl you have a 'thing' with might be watching you. I look up and see Zahra looking straight at me; fuck me for being right. I give her an apologetic look in return. She looks she's about to mouth something, but her mom gets up and asks her to help with the next dish. Wait, what? Next dish? "Nas, umm, how many courses are there?"

"Just three, give or take."

"Give or take?"

"Yea." He laughs. "I thought you said you were hungry, Keys?"

"Yea, but this style of food packs a lot of flavor and my tastebuds are all over the place."

"That's what he said." Nas whispers in my ear and I give him a grossed-out look and then we both laugh. We see Glen looking at us and does a wag of the finger humorously. "Ya'll enjoying ourselves?"

"Well, I didn't have to call Carmen yet to save me, so I'm doing alright. You have some pretty family members though, I might have to call her just for that."

"Easy, _salope_." Nas says with a hint of a smirk.

"It's kinda weird." Glen replies. He glances around. "Zahra's dad was talking to me about sports, but he didn't ask me a bunch of questions about us."

"He's not going to. Uncle Samir doesn't mind who dates Zah; as long as they treat her right." Nasir smiles at me. "My mom really likes you so far. I guess it's cause the previous girls she's seen me with aren't really lookers." Nasir gives me a thankful smile; I glance over and Glen has a strange look on his face.

"Yea, we wouldn't wanna give anything away now, would we?" He adds curtly. Nas and I stare at Glen for a moment. What is up with him right now?

Zahra and her mom come back in with two big plates of different food; the mother starts serving everyone on our side while Zahra serves the rest of her family. I see Zahra glance over to us every so often while laughing at whatever her aunt and cousins are saying. I do a slight smile seeing that she's genuinely happier with her extended family than her closer ones; that is until her mom blocks my view by serving Glen.

"Umm, excuse me, Mrs. Hassan. What is that?" Glen said pointing to his plate. I know he's genuinely curious, but Zah's mom just gives him a crossed look.

"It's called-"

"What's the matter? You never had Middle Eastern food before?" She says in a condescending way…of course, it could be her French-tinged accent. The tones sound similar to me.

"Not really, ma'am. I'm more of a pizza guy, especially Hawaiian." He grins stupidly. After, he gets the look from Zah's mom as well as us. He shuts up. "But, if it's as good as the first course, I'm all in." His stupid grin now replaced with an uncomfortable one.

"_Bon_." Zahra sits down next to Glen and quietly tells him what is. She turns to me with an arched eyebrow. "And what about you, girl?" Girl? Bitc-nah, wait wait, I can't call Zah's mom that, even in my head. But..Mrs. Hassan, who the fuck are you calling a girl? I furrow my eyebrows at her for a moment. It seems like time stopped and everybody's eyes were on us.

"_Maman_. Her name is Marquita." Zahra says behind her. I look at the Dad whose pinching his nose. "You always do this."

"What, Zaza? I just forgot it, that's all." The mom replies nonchalantly. "Just like I forgot his."

"_Ne pas etre comme ça._" Zahra shakes her head.

"_Comme quoi?" Zahra's mom says defensively. _

"Nothing, auntie." Nasir says a little agitated; Glen looks a bit down. "Can ya'll just sit down, please?" They both sit down at the same time.

It's quiet for a moment until Mrs. Annabi starts giggling. "_Wallah!_ You and Zahra bicker like sisters, Fatima."

"But, we're not sisters." Zahra deadpans. "We're mother and daughter, right, Mom?"

The mom just smiles in response and starts to eat. Nas shoots Zah an irritated look. I hear her sigh something like '_Nique ma vie_'. Can't really tell, I just don't like my Zahra looking all upset.

The other foods are getting passed around and I still see a lot of vegetables but now there's beef, chicken & fish in them. Thank you! I'm not used to all this rabbit eating. Nas goes pass all of them; he told me two weeks ago that he wants to be a vegetarian. I told him only lezzies and hippies can be that.

"_Habibi_, why aren't you eating?" Nas' mom calls out. "There's plenty of shawarma and kibbeh to go around. Two of your favorites."

"I'm a vegetarian now, _maman_." He grabs some more grape leaves and tajine sauce; his mom frowns.

"No,no, no, no, no, no, no."Mrs. Annabi wags her finger What's with all those no's? Sound like an old-ass car being started. "Nasir, you're growing up to be a strong man. You need some meat in you, _d'accord_?" I almost bust out laughing while Glen starts choking and Zahra pats his back a couple times.

"Sorry, I must've ate the shawarma too fast." Glen said blushing; Zahra smirks a bit.

"Nadja, stop treating our son like a boy. He knows what he needs to do to stay healthy." Mr. Annabi goes back to eating as if nothing else took place. I see some fish that I really want to try, but it's near Mrs. Hassan. Damn! Just suck it up, Keys.

"Mrs. Hassan. Can you pass the fish, please?" She looks at me for a moment before passing it slowly to me.

"It's called samhek harra, can you pronounce that?" She questions with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't think my mouth can move like that, ma'am." I say without thinking. Zahra looks up at me with a smirk. I would find it cute, but I seen her mom with the same expression moments earlier.

"Maybe Nasir knows a thing or two about the way she moves it." One of their other cousins call out.

"_Khalas, Omar!" _ Mrs. Annabi commands; she clears her throat and smiles at me. "It means spicy fish, Marquita. Are you into spicy food?"

"Of course, she likes having Carmen." Glen blurts out; I give him a 'wtf' and 'I'm slapping the blonde off your ass' look. Nas chokes a little on his Pepsi while Zahra elbows him on the side.

"What?" Mrs. Annabi asks with a confused look.

"I mean cumin. Sorry, I pronounced it wrong." Glen smiles sweetly.

"Hmm, you seem to know a lot about each other." Mr. Hassan says admiringly. "You two were friends before you met Zahra and Nasir, no?"

"Yes." Glen and I answer simultaneously.

"Anything more?" Mrs. Hassan asks this time. Zahra rolls her eyes. Nasir looks like he's interested in his food and me and G.C. look a bit disgusted. What game is she trying to pull?

"Definitely not."

"Not in this lifetime." I reply. Zahra giggles, but stops when her mom looks at her. "I mean he's not that bad." I continue. "I just like the.." I look at Nasir. "Tall, dark, and handsome." Of course, that can apply to Zahra, too…feminine handsome though.

"Harsh, much?" Glen asks mockingly. He shoots me a little smile. "But, we're like brother and sister, Mrs. Hassan."

"Well, where did you two meet?" I furrow my eyebrows; Zahra mouths the word 'school' to me.

"At school; we go to UCLA." I see the parents faces brighten up once I say school; what did they think we met in South Central.

"That's perfect." Mrs. Annabi comments. "What's your major?"

"Umm.." I look at Glen and he points at himself and Zahra. "I've been studying Biology…and Women's studies." I smile slightly. Glen gives me a 'you're a dumbass' look while Zahra just shakes her head humorously.

"That's quite interesting." Mr. Annabi says; speaking to me for the first time. "But, at least you are in school and wanting to achieve higher status. Unlike my son."

Nasir looks up and gives his father an annoyed look. "I just haven't found my calling yet, _baba_, ok?"

"Well, find it soon, Nasir." He counters; he says in a surly tone.

"Zahra's not in school." Nasir points out.

"But I have an associate's at least. I'm taking a break." Zahra says matter-of-factly.

"You should go back shortly, too, hayati." Mr. Hassan says patting Zahra on the head; the mother rolls her eyes quickly.

"I will, father." Zahra smiles and does a little fist shake to Nasir calling him a 'jerkoff'. That was a bit of a low blow.

"So.." Mrs. Hassan says abruptly; her eyes fall on Glen. "Glen…do you take up women's studies, also? Or a better major?" I tilt my head at Mrs. Hassan; she has her eyes on Glen still.

Glen swallows hard. "Umm; well I'm taking up Sports Recreation."

"Recreation?" She says unimpressed; Zahra keeps shooting daggers at her. I know she fed up with her mom right now. "You mean a gym teacher?"

"Well, that too. But, I'll probably work my way up to being a basketball coach.

"That's good." Mr. Hassan says excitedly; Glen smiles. I see that Mr. Hassan doesn't mind the fact that Glen won't be some big shot executive. "You should always do what you love, Glen. Do you have any experience coaching?"

"Yes, I used to teach middle school league for the boys at my church." He smiles proudly.

"Oh, you're Christian." Mrs. Hassan points out.

"Umm.." He does a quick glance at Zahra and Nasir. "Catholic, actually…umm, is that a problem for...well.."

"No, no problem." Nasir says sweetly.

"Not for dating, at least." Mrs. Hassan adds with a hint of a smirk.

"At least not for you." Zahra mutters under her breath.

"We respect people's beliefs here." Mr. Annabi confirms. "My wife's sister here and her children are Christian, that is all that needs to be said."

"Awesome." Glen smiles nervously.

"As long as you're not a Jew, you're ok." Zahra says sarcastically; her mom and uncle cut their eyes at Zahra while the cousins snicker. "More kibbeh, Glen?" Glen shakes his head hesitantly "Marquita?" She looks at me with those smoldering brown eyes of hers. I see her hair peeking out some from the scarf. I actually like her with this look. It has a bit of mystery to it.

Mrs. Annabi clears her throat. " Marquita, tell me more about the women's studies. It is interesting, yes?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am. I'm very intrigued by it." I grin widely; Zah giggles a bit. I'm glad I'm making this easier for her. I don't even care about Nas at this moment. "You learn about women from different cultures."

"How nice." She grins back just as wide. If it wasn't for the fact that she's Nas' mom, I would thought she was flirting with me.

"So, you understand why we cover our hair then?" Mrs. Hassan speaks up quite again. "I mean you have lovely hair, Marquita. But, you should've covered it in this house."

I furrow my eyebrows in frustration. "I didn't know it was a requirement, Mrs. Hassan. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Keys. It's not a requirement here. This is uncle's house."

"Keys? Is that a nickname?"

"Yes, maman. She plays the piano." Nasir covers it quickly; I look at him then smile at his mother.

"Oh, talented girl, aren't you?" Mrs. Annabi beams at me; I'm winning her over with my falsehood. Glen is looking like a boy who lost his pup. I could insert a bear joke in here, but I won't stoop that low..today.

"The Qu'ran clearly states that a woman is supposed to wear her hijab; to shield herself from the eyes of lustful men. It's supposed to be for your husband." The mother glances at Glen when she says the last part. How did we get back on that subject? Damn.

"No, mom, we are supposed to cover ourselves modestly; men and women. As in cover the parts that matter. Remember? I really don't believe that means my hair or my face." Mrs. Hassan cuts her eyes at her Zahra while Nasir takes a big gulp of his Pepsi. Looks like a showdown. "Besides, the hijab is a personal decision I make with Allah; not because you tell me to."

"Well, you will wear it, Zazu, because Allah tells you to obey your parents as well." Mrs. Hassan counters, Zahra sighs

"Whatever you say, mom. I could've at least worn a more colorful one." Glen chuckles a bit for no apparent reason as we continue eating in silence.

"What do you think, Marquita?" Mrs. Hassan questions me.

"Excuse me?" I say with a perplexed look.

"You're in school for women's studies, _non_?"

"Well, yeah.." I look at Glen, who unfortunately looks dumbfounded. No help, Goldilocks. No help. I clear my throat a little. "I, umm, believe that if you adhere to your religion like..alot." Fuck! I don't know what I should say. "Then you should.." Mrs. Hassan does a closed-lip smile. "But like Zahra said, it's your own decision. No one should tell you what to do." I add. "Whether a woman wants to cover herself or whether she wants to flaunt it all over; it's up to her. Whatever makes her comfortable and feel like a woman."

"I see..." Mrs. Hassan doesn't seem to like my added thought. "What do you think, Glen? Would you rather have a traditional, modest wife or one that shows her worth for all the men to see."

Glen looks like a deer caught in headlights. I know the type of girls he like; ones that display her goodies. Plus, he already has a boyfriend that shows his worth to old queens; which in breeder terms is: gay men age 35 and over. "I'm a feminist at heart, Mrs. Hassan. I don't think I make a decision in what my wife wears. Maybe my daughter though." Mrs. Hassan smiles at his change-up.

"My thoughts exactly." She replies and gives Zahra a triumphant look. "The problem with this country is that everyone is trying to fit in."

"I agree with you, _ukti_." Mr. Annabi says "People lose their culture here; is that not important?"

"It is important." Glen points out. "But cultures evolve; especially if you're born and raised here. Sometimes, we shouldn't listen to our parents or what we say." He adds; the parents around the table didn't like that. They all exchanged looks with each other; I decide to save him from himself.

"I think what Glen is trying to say is that traditions are made to be broken; so new ones can form. There's should be a blend of the culture of your people and the culture of you; it shouldn't be one sided."

"That's one opinion." Mrs. Hassan retorts.

"Well, every voice counts. We do have freedom of speech after all." Score one for me remembering 6th grade social studies. I see Mr. Hassan & Mrs. Annabi nod their head agreeably. I grin a little and go to pick up my glass. As soon as I do, it slips outta my hands and the soda spills out right on my lap. So much for being proud. All the non-adults at the table start chuckling. Well, all except for me anyways. Mrs. Annabi looks embarrassed for me while Mrs. Hassan looks like she's smiling. The Dads just keep eating their food as if nothing happened.

"OHHH!" I yell out as I feel the cold, sticky liquid hit my pants. I stand up and I see a big ass stain; if these pants were actually expensive, I'd be more pissed off. "Sorry, umm, I'm such a klutz." I try wiping it off as Nas stands up to help me.

"Nasir, stop!" Mr. Annabi bellows out. Oh, so he notices that, huh? "Let your cousin help her."

"It's ok, dad. I got it. I know what to put on it." Spoken like a true gay; he dabs here and there, but he looks like he's about to flame on in a minute by touching me.

"No, Nasir, it's cool, I got it." Zahra gets up and I follow her. "We'll rinse some of it out upstairs."

"Zahra, hand me her pants after you rinse them. I'll put them in the dryer. Ok?" Mrs. Annabi smiles at me. "It won't take that long, sweetheart. We are about to have dessert."

"Ok, sure." Not wanting to deny her hospitality. My mama didn't raise me that way. I turn my head in time to see Nasir give me a worried look and Glen do a knowing smirk. What? I'm not gonna do anything. Zahra walks up the stairs first; I see her ass sway, even through the fabric of her overgarment. She turns back and catches me ogling. "You, uhh, had a spot on your, umm.." I snap my fingers, but nothing comes out. I just sheepishly smile instead. What is it about this girl that turns me into mush?

"Tell me when you come up with a better excuse as to why you were staring at my ass." She smirks knowingly. I give her a thumbs up and we both laugh. We get to the bathroom and Zahra immediately locks the door. She gazes at me for a moment before she comes closer to me. If I didn't have any sense, I would have her propped up on the sink right now; just like in the movie Soul Food. 5 points for throwback. "Alright, take off your pants." Oh, yea, especially after she said something like that. I shoot her a wicked smile. "Not the time or the place, Keys." Aww!

"I know. I've been waiting for you to say something like that for a long time." I sigh dramatically.

"I can say other things to you that sound way better." Zah replies in a flirtatious tone.

"Such as?" I egg her on; she puts her arms on both my sides and leans in to my ear.

"Later." She whispers as her lips brush my ear; I look up and silently say, 'Why?' Zahra continues her taunt by unzipping me and pulling my pants down quickly. She glances down and starts giggling. "Really, Keys? Really?"

I stare blankly at her. "What?" She gestures to my crotch. What I do? Did I grow a dick or something?

"You get your hair done, girly clothes.."

"This is your cousin's." I interrupt; tugging at the shirt.

"And even a little lip gloss to top it off; yet you're rocking boxer briefs underneath all that."

"Look here, Zah, I still gotta stay true to me." I quip, I hand her my pants. "At least, I got an actual bra on." I lift up the shirt so she can see it and her eyes go wide; she turns her back swiftly and starts going to work on my bottoms…no pun intended. I know she may feel weird with me in here: in such close quarters. This is the most she's seen me exposed; she hasn't even seen me in my bra until now. By the way, is it me or do butches have some of the biggest tits in the world. Do you know how hard it is to buy male sweaters with tits like these? It irks my soul! "So...uhh…your family seems nice." I say breaking the silence. "For the most part." I add; rolling eyes.

Zahra snorts. "You mean my mother. She's a piece of work, isn't she?"

"Yea.." I admit. "I assume you two butt heads a lot." Zahra makes a 'pfft' sound. "But, you're both headstrong. Sometimes, my mom and I are like that to each other. Then, she just says to me, 'Quita, you backtalk me one 'mo gain or I'll knock your head right between dem washer & dryer!' and I shut the hell up." Seriously, she tried to do it. Then ask me if I want to go have lunch with her. Moms.

"Your mom tries to whip your ass while my mom makes me feel guilty for not keeping up with all the traditions like she does and Nasir is a kiss-ass, so he's no help. She doesn't even like anyone I bring home because they're not Muslim or Middle Eastern; friends or otherwise."

"I guess she would feel some type of way if you brought an 'otherwise' home that's not Arab or Muslim or even one that's not a guy." I say jokingly; I stand behind her and we look at ourselves in the mirror. In my eyes, we would make a hot couple and we have a great work ethic. But, I'm afraid to look in her eyes, I'm afraid that she'll see us as something that can never be labeled, that can never be shown to the outside world. "But, I'm pretty sure your parents would want someone that treated you well" I wrap my arms around her waist; she leans her head back in response. "that respected your faith and boundaries as a woman.." I add softly in her ear "and told you everyday how beautiful you are." I kiss her cheek; she blushes slightly. "no matter if you wear your khimar or not." I wouldn't mind her wearing it. God help me, but it's kind of a turn-on for me. She shakes her head at my last sentence. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that.

"You don't understand." She turns around and faces me. "I mean yes, I'm a Muslimah that tries to stay on her deen; one that loves her Lebanese background." She does a heavy sigh as she looks down. "But I'm also a 22-year old American female that wants to go out and party; date..show people that I'm not some walking stereotype. This shit gets on my nerves, Keys. I should have to live in two worlds; they should be able to blend." I pull her in for a hug to show that I do understand; more than she knows. A knock on the door interrupts our moment, Zah recoils from me as if I'm fire and I can't help to feel a little distressed. She straightens herself out (not that she needs to) and opens the door.

"Are you girls gossiping in there, habibti?" Mrs. Annabi asks grinning. She's holding this frilly material in her arms. I thought I would be getting some slacks. What is that?

"You know us, Mrs. Annabi. Girls will be girls." I grin back; Zahra cuts her eyes at me amusingly.

"Well, everyone is waiting for you two. Also, your sweetheart needs to use the bathroom, Zahra. So, you girls should hurry up." She takes the pants from Zahra and hands her what's in her arms. "We're about to listen to Nancy Arjam and have some baklava with coffee."

"Nancy who?" I question. Is she Nicki Minaj's cousin?

"She's like Lebanon's version of Britney Spears. Except better music." Zahra answers me.

"Marquita, you're not allergic to nuts, are you?" Mrs. Annabi asks me with a motherly tone.

"No, auntie, she loves nuts." Zahra smiles widely; I cut my eyes at her. "Isn't that right, Marquita?"

"You know it." I say with a forced smile. "Good for your health."

"Ah, _bon_. Ok, well, see you downstairs, girls." She turns around and leaves as quick as she came; she's like a ninja. Zahra closes the door and we both chuckle a bit. She hands the clothing to me and I open it up all the way. My eyes go wide and I shake my head furiously.

"Hell nah." I state firmly; I hold it in the air. "This is all your aunt had?"

"I guess so." She replies amusingly. A dress; a fucking dress. A white one at that. Did we not learn anything from the soda spilling?

"I can't wear this. This is pushing it too far."

"You're almost done for the night. Just put the damn thing on. I'll be downstairs."

"Wait. You can't help me put it on?" I ask licking my lips. She rolls her eyes at me and gives me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Glen's waiting to use the bathroom. Hurry up. Maybe you can keep it on for later." She winks and shuts the door behind me. Damn that fine Beirut booty. Wait? What happens later?

"Fuck." I stare at myself in the mirror before I reluctantly put on the dress. I hear someone else knock on the door a few moments later. "Just a second." I call out. The door opens anyway and I see it's Glen. "What part of just a sec did you not get, Goldilocks?"

"Girl, please! I don't wanna see your goodies!" He looks down and sees what I'm wearing and doubles over in laughter. "Holy Sh-"

"Glen. Not a word. Not a fuckin word. Ok?" I point my finger at him. "What happens at The Annabi's, stays at The Annabi's, you dig?

"I dug." He zips his mouth shut and sits down on the side of the tub. "So, what you think?" He asks after a few moments. "You think they like us?"

"Glen, we got this in the bag. They're not gonna expect the real deal about us. Zah's dad talked your ear off during dinner; he thinks you're a cool kid." I shoot a smirk. "I don't know why though, you're a bit of a geek."

"And you're a bit of a suck-up. You and Nasir's mom were all chummy."

"She just wanted to know what her son saw in me."

"Nothing." He says dryly. Well, doesn't he sound like a sour baby.

"Hey, I think I would be a good woman for Nasir. We would make some pretty mixed babies." I tease. I start laughing, but he stays mute. What's up with him?

"I don't like this set-up. It feels weird pretending, you know?" He gets up and paces a bit. Uh-oh! "I think Mrs. Hassan suspected something outta you."

I shrug; I fix my hair and *cough* dress a little. "I think she was just being a..what did Nasir say? Oh, yea, a _salope_ to us both. Somebody's gotta play good cop, bad cop out of the parents."

"I see why they've never noticed Nasir's innate gayness. He plays the perfect Muslim son as much as he can muster. Zahra on the other hand is the rebel; that's why Mrs. Hassan noticed something about us." I look at him with a bemused look; he's talking crazy out the ass right now.

"G.C., you trippin, homie."

"I think we should just tell them the truth. So, there's no confusion." Oh, hell to the naw, he's on a whole another plane right now.

"Uh, no, bitch. We ain't saying shit cause it will cause more confusion and defeat the purpose of why we went through all of this. I'm wearing a fucking dress for Christ's sake." I point below. "You really want Nas mad at you?" I add; trying to knock some sense in that Neanderthal brain of his.

Glen looks at me with a mean intense glare. "You really think this is the only date we'll do? Get real! What if afterwards, they like us so much that they want us to keep dating them. I mean…I love him, Keys." His voice trembles as he runs his fingers through his faux-hawk.

"Please, Glen, don't get emotional." He looks down with a sad, puppy face and heaves an immense sigh. You know the sigh you do when you're about to cry, but you try to hold back. If he cries in front of me, I'ma call him a twink for the rest of his life. I don't know how to handle a grown man crying. "It's not gonna be like that."

"I really do though. What if this continues and we gotta do fake marriages or something, ya know?"

I hold my hand up. "Don't say the 'M' word, G.C. I'm not a fan of it." He rolls his eyes and folds his arms again. Diva. "Listen, you're thinking too far ahead. Just focus on the now, alright? That's all there is."

"Maybe it's easier for you cause you don't see a future with Zahra. And you shouldn't because she, unlike Nasir, is straight. You're just an experiment to her, Marquita." Glen spits back; I clench my jaw. A huge part of me wants to punch him in his baby boy blue eyes; mostly because he put my own worries out in the open.

"You may be right." I step up in his face. "But at least I can accept the possibility that things with her may not work out in my favor. Because, unlike you, Glen, my heart hasn't been put on the line." I say coolly; Glen's eyes go dark.

"Yet." Is all he says in return. We stare each other down for a minute.

"You know what? I'm done with this whole night. It's a bit of a disaster now. I'm done." I walk past him; he looks a bit stunned. "Ask your date to drive you home." I emphasize the words. I leave Glen upstairs and get back to the dining room. I see some of the family members drinking coffee and eating pastries while others are doing this line step dance. Nas and Zahra look happy as they dance with their cousins. Mrs. Annabi is dancing along with them; trying to show the kids how's it done. You know how old heads are with the time-honored dances. I wonder why I couldn't see this side of family this evening. As I get ready to sneak out, Nas sees me and I mouth I'm sorry to him; he frowns and tries to get Zahra's attention, but I'm already out the door. I honestly am tired of this whole dinner and this family and by family, I mean Zahra's mother. I make a fast-pace to my car; hoping that none of them follow me out. Although, I would've liked to got a few slices of baklava to take home.

An hour later

"I'm telling you, Chi-Chi. It was awkward as hell over there. Every little sentence that had the slightest innuendo, me, Zah, Nas, and G.C. would just crack the hell up." I tell her as I walk into the door; I flick the flats off. These damn things are tight on my heel; like Chuck Taylors. "Then, the parents started talking about marriage like on some passive-aggressive shit."

"What you mean?" I hear the theme song of Chica Busca Chica in the background. She would be watching that. I tried to watch it with her once, but there were no subtitles on it. "Did they think ya'll were a good catch for them at least?"

"I mean Zahra's dad thought Glen was nice, even though he was Catholic. Better than some of the guys she did bring home. And Nasir's mom liked me; she thought I was very pretty… the aunt, Zah's mom, kept giving me the evil eye and shit; like she looked down on me. I don't know why; it could be a number of reasons."

"Maybe because you're _morena_." Carmen suggests jokingly. I hope in this day and age, it wasn't that. Maybe, she can just see right through the act. I mean aren't women better at telling when a family member of theirs is gay or not?

"I don't think so because Nas' dad has a bigger nose than me. I mean shit, it's a good thing he gets his looks from his mom." We both laugh. I take off Nas' shirt and the dress. I hope nobody took a pic of me on their phone or I'm molly-wopping the hell outta 'em. "Seriously, though. I think it's because we seem good enough for the time being, but they rather their children marry someone of their culture."

"Don't think about it too much, ma." I sigh out loud and sit down on my couch. "I know you care about her, Keys. Even if you don't want to see it that way, she's changing you."

"Yea, but can I change her? I mean I wouldn't want to. It's just that she's what I want. But…am I what she wants?"

"You said it yourself. No labels, right?"

"Man, I don't even know anymore. I should talk to her though."

"Yea, you should." Carmen agrees; I suck my teeth at her response.

"Have you even called Kyla?" Silence. "Didn't think so." It's silent on the phone for a few minutes. I start looking around for a couple of dutches; I haven't smoked all week out of preparation for that damn dinner date. But, I can't find one. Damn! Don't you hate when that happens? Especially when you have a fresh bag of that Blueberry Yum-Yum.

"I am. Tomorrow. I just need to think of what to say or do when I-Keys?.Keys!" I forgot she was on the phone for a minute. "You forgot I was on the phone?"

"Yea, my fault, Chi-Chi. I'm looking for some dutches for this yum-yum I got." I hear her chuckle on the line. "Hey, you wanna come blow with me over here? I wouldn't mind the company."

"Eh, I'll pass. I got a lot on my mind. And if I smoke anything, I'm just gonna focus on it more. It won't relax me."

"I dig." I begin to break the dutch open. "Well, call me if you wanna talk about it. I may be high as a kite, but I'll be a great listener." We both laugh. There's a knock on my door and I hide the dutch in the microwave on a panicky twist. I open up the door and I see Zahra. Her hair is no longer covered, but she's still wearing the long robe. I see that she's holding my pants in her arms as she looks at me patiently.

"Do you mind if I come in?" Zahra asks sheepishly.

"Carm, call me later, ok? I have company." I say while I keep my eyes on Zahra; I motion for her to come in while I hear Carmen say 'bow-chicka-womp womp'. She hangs up right after, the ass that she is. "Zahra, what brings you round this neck of the woods?" I say casually.

"I had to drop Glen off, you know. After evening prayer, of course."

"Right..." I rub the back of my neck. "Can you tell his parents and yours that I'm sorry for-" She holds a hand up for me to stay quiet.

"Nas already took care of it. My aunt wanted me to give you a plate; in case you get hungry again."

"I think I'll be full for a few days." I chuckle; she does a slight smile.

"Glen told me about the little talk ya'll had in the bathroom."

"Did he now?"

"Yea.." Is all she says. We avoid eye contact although we're facing each other. Well, I avoid it. I see her glance up and down at my body a couple of times. I look good in a wife-beater and boxer briefs that I make straight girls stare.

"Well, if that's all then.." I walk to the door.

"Keys, I really like you." Zahra says suddenly; she seems nervous. "More than I let on. I never really thought about someone that I was messing with as much as I do with you." I walk over and stand next to her I want you to know I don't see Keys, the woman. I see Keys, the individual. That's the Keys I like."

"But am I who you want? Am I the individual that you could see as a romantic partner, Zah? I need to know." I ask vulnerably. "I don't want to pressure you, but it's just been on my mind. My feelings for you are growing stronger and I don't know what you doing to me, but I honestly don't want this to stop." I press my lips together while she caresses my cheek. I'm trying not to act like a pussy to her touch right now, but it's rather hard.

"I don't want to lose you as a friend, Keys..if this" She gestures with her hand the two of us. "if this ends badly. That's my fear. I'm not like Nasir.. I wouldn't hide you like you think I would; not anymore."

"You wouldn't?" I ask shockingly. What game is she trying to pull?

"No. I wouldn't. I'm comfortable in the skin I'm in. Even around my family. It's Nasir that isn't. I don't wanna be him and put up a façade. I'm just me and I'm dating you; who happens to be a girl..a stud, as a matter of fact." She smirks a bit; I return the smirk. It's a lot of smirking going on right now.

"A sexy stud at that." I add; she nods her head in agreement. "I can pull gay girls, bi girls, straight girls..even gay guys cause at times, I look like a trade." Zahra laughs at my bravado.

"Well, for the time being, you're pulling only this girl and that's that." She leans in and plants a small kiss on the lips, I lean in for more, but she pulls back before I have the chance to deepen it. I know she sees the slight disappointment on my face, but she keeps her hand on my face for the connection. "I never had a chance to thank you for what you did tonight."

"It was nothing, shorty." I shrug nonchalantly.

"I mean thank you for not being afraid of my mother, too. The guys that I've brought home to meet wouldn't stand up for themselves. They just let her talk her trash, but you're different."

"You're welcome, Zahra. I just hope she won't send out your army of cousins when she sees me in your bed. Speaking of bed, do you wanna stay and smoke some bud with me? I got that Blueberry; smooth and tasty like myself. We could watch The Wire and trip off the realness."

"Sounds like a plan to me." She smiles shyly. "But, first…I want to thank you properly with something." Hmm, now I'm intrigued. I rub my chin and give her a sly look; she goes near the door to my room. "A traditional dance, but still modern."

I roll my eyes. "I think I had enough tradition for one night, Zah. I saw your peoples doing that Arabian Cha-Cha Slide lookin thing." I try to do some of it, but judging by her loud laughter, I suck at it.

"Maybe later, I'll teach you how to Dabke, but I'm going to do something different. She hands me a cd. "Put this in your player and put it to # 7, but don't press play yet." She instructs me. I give her a salute. "Also, spark up that yum-yum if you want. I won't take long." Her brown eyes are dancing as she shuts my door.

"Whoo!" I go back to the microwave to retrieve the dutch "It's a celebration, bitch!" I exclaim in my Chapelle voice; I go sit down and roll while I wait for her to come out the closet-I mean bedroom.

"You ready?" I hear her muffled voice say.

"Yyyuuuuuuppp!" I reply in my Trey Songz voice. I am already tripping and I haven't even sparked yet. I think it's cause I'm excited. I have a feeling I'm about to see a side that I haven't before. I look for a lighter, but can't find one. I never have two things that match. "Damn. Hey, Zah. Before you come out, can you hand me a-Whoa!" I'm sorry. I can't finish the sentence because of what has now come into my view. The dutch I had in my mouth has dropped.

"Do you like it?" She asks shyly; yet seductively. Women of the world: take notes starting now. Zahra struts her way over to my stereo system player. She's wearing this crimson two-piece that matches her olive skin perfectly; her C cups are looking extra filled out in the beaded bra. She has on a thin sheer skirt with a beaded belt wrapped around her svelte body. Honestly, it looks more like a towel cause I can see her bikini-lined panties underneath. Please, please, please let her take it off in the middle of the set. "Keys?" She asks through while fiddling with her veil around her shoulders; I must not have said anything because she snaps her fingers to get my attention, but I'm in awe. I'm in awe because I know all this is for me. She turns the song on and it's kinda on the slow and sultry side; not what I was expecting "Keep your eyes on me, habibti." She orders as she turns around; I clearly see her star and crescent tattoo on the back. I wonder if her mom would flip about that.

"Yes, ma'am." I pick up my dutch again and sit back. I dig in my couch and find another lighter. Hell yea! The fire sparks the same time as Zahra sways her hips to the tempo. She speeds up a little on a certain part which makes me do the 'Spencer head-tilt' to the max .

"_Ma fini fakker w'inti haddi."_ The singer says. I don't know what the chick is saying, but I do like the fact that I see Zahra turn around with a twist of the torso and shimmy down. Fuck! I burned my fingers with the lighter fooling with her. Her dark eyes are fixated on mines as she chuckles at me.

"_Ma fini ikhi." _I take a big hit of the L and relax a bit. Zahra does this snake charmer move from side to side as her arms hold the veil up high over her head; her curls seem to be bouncing to the beat. I just shake my head at the raw sexiness that's in front of me.

"_Ma bfaker ila fiki._

"You look so damn yummy right now." I comment in a lower octave; she has me hypnotized to her movements right now. The only thought that's running through my mind is can she do that in the bedroom.

"Better than blueberry you smoking on?" She asks playfully.

"Hmm…" I take another puff and hold it in while I contemplate. Zahra starts rotating her chest in a clockwise fashion; I wonder if her boobs goes up and down like that when she's having an orgasm. "Almost." I reply while blowing out the smoke; she raises an eyebrow in return.

"We'll have to change that then." She smiles mischievously; she comes over and stands right in front of me. She puts the veil around my neck and holds me in place to look directly at her.

"_Nazra fi hyounik ma btikfi." _The singer says in a sensuous tone. Zahra starts contracting her stomach muscles while her hips keep dipping down and out. I don't know how she is doing it, but I'm sporting some serious female wood here. I mean rock-solid clit right now. Hmm, too much info? I don't give a shit. Like I said; ladies, take notes if you wanna please your partner. Take lessons, too. Cause I think for her, it comes naturally.

"_Ana killi shaw w'lahfi."_ Ok, that line must mean something cause Zahra is twirling her hips around like the number 8. She licks her lips as she does it fast, then slow to the changing rhythm. I reach out to touch her skirt cause I'm seriously bout to rip it off; she has such smooth-looking legs. One you could kiss up on without the side of your face getting a razor burn. I decide to put my hand down and be respectful; just enjoy the scene in front of me. She continues to move her chest in a circular fashion while her hips dip; the fabric feels good on the back of my neck as she twist her arms to make it move. The song comes to an end and I immediately start clapping right after; whistling and everything like an idiot. I think I'm a little high now..off of Zahra, that is.

"Bravo, shorty." I grab her by the waist to sit down on my lap. "Who taught you to move like that? Shakira?" She giggles as she takes the L from my lips and does a couple quick puffs; usually she would hit more, but maybe she's tired. I see a small sheen of perspiration on her which makes her skin glow. "Or is it the ghost of Aaliyah? God bless her soul." Seriously, I miss Aaliyah.

"No. Just me." She replies; she plays with some strands of my hair. "I like it better curly."

"Me too."

"I also think you can pull off the girly, but the way you dress anyway is much better for you."

"Thank you." I say sincerely; she just nods her head. We say nothing for a few moments; I let the rest of the L just burn out. I like this awkward silence we're having. It feels…right; her being in my arms.

"_Badi bousik, _Marquita_."_ She says to me lightly as we gaze into each other's eyes. I never knew Arabic could sound so naughty until Zahra came along. I see her bite her bottom lip and I lean in to close the gap. I kiss her tenderly, her full lips feeling like Joe Boxer pillows..you know the memor foam ones cause they fit so well with mines. I always worry though when I kiss her will always be the last one. I understand why Glen freaked out earlier. It's because we're dealing with people that have one foot in their parent's culture and the other foot in ours. I can't assure her that there won't be consequences for dealing with me just like Glen can't reassure Nasir; there's more issues than just family. Before I have a chance to slide my tongue in, she pulls back. "How did you know what I said?" She asks curiously. "Has Nasir been teaching certain words again?" I smile and shake my head amusingly.

"Not exactly. It's called universal body language and I'm fluent in that." I kiss her again; this time she deepens it instead of me. I feel her damp tongue connect with mine as I bring her legs over so she's straddling me. Her breathing pattern changes up once she feels me do a little belly roll. Female wood, remember? Of course, I'm gonna hump. "You are so beautiful, Zahra." I whisper in her ear as I kiss down her shoulder. The only reply is get is little gasps here and there.

"I never had anyone kiss me the way you do, Keys." She admits timidly. "Or touch me the way you do. It's a bit scary, but I'm not backing down from it.

"I'm not just anyone, Zah." Her hands into my shirt and I feel her fingertips on my abs. For the record, my abs are better than Ashley's. I'm on that Situation-level and she's Pauly D. and Carmen is Vinny.

"I know…you're Keys. The down-south sista who finally caught her own genie." She quips trying to sound like me. Honestly, I probably would say somethin along those lines. Her other hand slides from my shoulder to my breasts as she palms one hesitantly; I never did tell her I took my bra off. Whoops. The inner femme is about to come out of me the way she's caressing it. "I guess you want your 3 wishes then." She goes in for another deep kiss and goes down to my neck.

"I have just one." Zahra stops and waits for my answer; I hope I pronounce this right. "_Badi ek'lek._" My eyes are fixated on hers; the eyeliner and her long eyelashes make them come to life even more. A deep blush and a small smile plays on her face at what I just said. "That one I looked up myself and had Nas confirm it for me." I add.

"Is that all you want?" I kiss her on the lips and lift her up from the seat; I knew she couldn't be that heavy.

"Mhm." I grin devilishly, but it falters after another thought comes to mind. "Only if you want to though..I know it's all new to you and I want you to be comfortable with me."

"What if…" She looks down bashfully. "What if I want to do the same? Can I?" Her finger slides down my body and stop at the band of my draws. "Would I be able to touch you, too?"

A slight smirk comes across my face as I lead her to the bedroom. "You ever heard the expression 'butch in the streets, femme in the sheets' ?" She shakes her head humorously. "If you want to, you can find that out."

She bites her lip again and walks past to me to lay on my bed; she undoes her belt and the skirt falls off while I gaze at her form. Just in case, something pops off tonight, I want a mental picture. "Well, don't just stand there, habibti." She says confidently s she spreads her legs a little. "Show me why that mouth of yours only moves a certain way."

I chuckle and lay myself on her; I kiss and lick her from her neck to her navel. "It works better if you use French instead of Arabic, Zah." I suggest before taking her panties off. She undoes her bra; then sits up to take my wife-beater off. "It is the language of love."

She arches her eyebrow in repsonse; she capture my bottom lip with her teeth to bring me back down on top of her. "Well, how does '_voulez-vous coucher avec moi' _sound?"

And with that said; BLACKOUT!

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**Sooo...hope you like that mini-chap (which looks more like a full-chap). I know it touched on a lot of issues. I like to inform my readers, but still keep it entertaining. Don't worry. Translations are at the end; the Lebanese food you can look up on your own. I will put Carmen's chap up as soon as possible. Yes, it's THE chap. ^_^ Also, if I offended any Middle Eastern or Muslim readers, I apologize. Honestly, that's just one view of many Muslim families and/or Middle Eastern families. Any questions or concerns about it, just ask. It's getting closer to the end of my story and I decided I'll write a supernatural one next. Try my luck with different genres, you know? Still go H.A.M. on it like this one. *fingers crossed***

**Now, on with the random sidenotes: ****1****. Why didn't anybody inform me about all these awesome-ass web series like Girl/Girl Scene and Chica Busca Chica? Especially, Chica Busca Chica, which if your Spanish skills is not up to par, you can download it with subtitles. Hit me up for the info. ****2****. For those that love Vampires (not the sparkly kind) and lesbians (rolls eyes) together, check out this movie, 'We Are The Night'. It's from Germany but it has English subtitles. I'ma check it out after this is posted. Again, hit me up if you want the info. ****3****. I'm lovin Gaga's 'Judas' video. Hate the song, love the video though. Speaking of videos, Beyonce's 'Run ThE World' video is that work. ****4****. Going back to sidenote #1, has anyone ever seen either the Lovers&Friends show (like the lez version of Noah's Arc) or Generation L (Aussie's version of The Real L Word) ? Listen. The latter of the two ain't much anyway, but that girl Yas is smokin' hottt! ^.^ ****5****. I was thinking bout going for a more femme look. What ya'll think? If you're not sure of my style at the moment; just look at the avatar. ****6****. Is anyone else excited for next month? I mean X-Men: First Class, 4****th**** season of Torchwood, and 4****th**** season of True Blood? Does the 2****nd**** season of Pretty Little Liars start in June, too? Plus, a little something special for myself comes in June. Tee-hee. ****7****. I know my readers love different types of music like myself. Does anybody watch rap battles; in particular, Grind Time? I'm addicted to it, B! ****8****. Since this is my Muslim/Middle Eastern edition, has anyone seen the trailer for these two movies; 'Three Veils' & 'Circumstances'? They intrigue me. ****9****.What's the one lesbian stereotype you think is the most true? The least true? And that concludes my random sidenotes. ^_^**

**French translation: **_**Elle est jolie**_**=She is pretty, **_**salope=**_**bitch, **_**ne pas etre comme ça=**_**Don't be like that, **_**comme quoi?**_** =Like what?, **_**Nique ma vie**_**= Fuck my life, **_**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?**_**= *Honestly, ya'll should know this one. Lady Marmalade, anyone?***

**Arabic (Lebanese dialect) translation: **_**Wallah**_**= I swear (lit. I swear on Allah), **_**khalas**_**=stop it, **_**hayati**_**=my life (term of endearmeant). For the song 'Ma Fini Fakker' (I Can't Think) by Mena: **_**ma fini fakker winti haddi**_**=I can't think while you're near me, **_**ma fini ikhi**_**=I can't speak, **_**nazra fi hyounik ma btikfi**_**=The look in your eyes is not enough, **_**ana killi shaw w'lahfi**_**=I'm full of anticipation and yearning; **_**badi bousik**_**=I want to kiss you, **_**badi ek'lek=**_**I want to eat you. **

**Peace and good fortune, everyone. Until next time. BLESSED BE! **


	25. That 4Letter Word

**Hola, readers. It's Loba again. I hope this update is actually better than my recent previous ones (not that I heard any complaints though) I'm glad ya'll enjoyed the last one considering it was mostly original characters. Shoutouts to 'Macoina' & 'ImNotCoolYet' for favoriting my story. I love ya'll pennames. ^_^ **

**Now, I think I left Kyla's chapter on a cliff-hanger, considering that was a long two chapters ago. I should make this right. Hope I did it justice. It's 44 pages worth; I better had. Smh. You're welcome. ^_^**

**KathleenDee: Thanks 4 ur review. Glad you thought it was awesome. You don't have to wait anymore for Carmen. ^_^**

**Supernaye: I just realized you commented on the previous channel. Lol! One, you're welcome & two, Nina Sky's 'Beautiful People' song is better, in my opinion. ^_^**

**Samber: My most recent reviewer. ^_^ Thanks for your input on my chapter. My father was strict while we were growing up; quizzing us on the Qu'ran and whatnot. As the years passed, he's become way more lenient. I'm the only gay offspring out of his 8 kids; yet he respects me the most. What country your ppls originate from? (If you don't mind me asking). You know what's funny? While I was typing that, I was watching 'A Jihad For Love'. Ever seen it? I would like to talk to you more, but I should get to this next chapter. Lol**

**Disclaimer: Don't own SON or the songs, but I own ya girlfriend's girlfriend. (*ahem*…not really). **

* * *

**Carmen's POV**

"Listen, I know you mean well and everything, but this is too much." I'm so over Keys right now.

"It didn't stop you before." She puts the DVDs in my hands. "Come on, I got the best of the best here, Chi-Chi."

"Keys, I'm not gonna watch porn with you just to cheer myself up. We could've went to the movies or something." She rolls her eyes at me; I've been stuck either in the library or in my mom's house for about a week. I don't wanna say I'm avoiding Kyla or anything..but…I guess I am. I'm just not sure where to start

"Ok, first off, you know how high the movie theaters are nowadays? Especially for 3D movies? Second; you need to blow off some steam and get out of this baby butch blues you're in. So, with that said, you can either talk to your girl finally or you can watch some titties and ass with me like old times."

"I like it better when Ashley tries to cheer me up; at least it's not something too perverted." I quip; Keys gets up from my bed and walks over to my dvd player. Her hair has already lost its straightness; must be the humidity. She's back in her regular old style; looking like some back-up dancer for Ciara.

"Please! Ashley is probably doing some perverted stuff right now with Spencer. Bet money on it."

"Oh, I don't have to. I texted her earlier today and her response was: _Can't talk. Face down, ass up time!_" I said in a dry tone; Keys bust out laughing.

"That's my girl. She's getting it in non-stop. So, what should we watch today? Lesbian Beauties: Asian edition or Lesbian Beauties: Latina edition?" She flashes a toothy grin at me; this chick and her teenage-boy mind.

"Keys!" I say in an exasperated tone. "This may come as a shock to you, but I'm not really in the mood to see two straight girls pretend-fuck like dykes."

"Carmen. Carmen. I am a porn connoisseur. I have better taste than you do in this. When we was screwing around, you would only get either the bimbo, blond pasty-looking white girls or the hood-rat sistas that curse every other fucking sentence."

"You realize you just contradicted yourself a little bit, right?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Don't play me.. I grew up in Bankhead. I'm not that much of a hood-rat." She shoots back in a saucy tone.

"Ok, Nu-nu." I quip; she throws a pillow at my head. I throw ir right back and knock her fitted off. "Just put in the Latina one then cause I know you're not going to leave it alone."

She smirks. "You would choose that one, wouldn't ya? With your Christina Milian second-cousin ass."

"I'm twice removed, mami." I play along with her; Keys laughs and starts switching the scenes. "What are you doing?"

"I'm skipping to the best scene. Duh!" She got some nerve. "I love this series. You know I like the ones with a story line."

"Keys, I've never seen this before and you're already skipping to a scene you like."

"Listen, Celeste Star and Ruby Knox are bad as shit, so sit back and enjoy." Keys props her legs up on my desk. "It might even open you up a little." She gives me a knowing look.

"Keys, I'm not gonna have sex with you." I need some, Lord knows I need some. The last time I had sex was with Keys, but trust and believe I am not that much of a screw-up to just solve my problems by screwing someone that's not Kyla….Yo, stop snickering out there, I'm being for real here.

"Nooo." She rolls her eyes at me like the dizzy bitch that I am. "I meant open up about you and Kyla. Like why have you been avoiding her all week?"

"Oh, look, it's starting." I announce changing the subject. I must say..the one that's on the bottom does look good; killer eyes and lips. But, the one on top looks like my aunt Nina in Miami. Huge turn-off. I get out my sketch pad and put the finishing touches of what seems to be the umpteenth picture I have drawn of Kyla. She's seen a couple rough drafts, but doesn't know that I've been drawing sketches of her; us since we became an item. It's like I'm a late bloomer to this silly love shit. Keys starts to tap my arm incessantly.

"Hey, watch this part. It's a good part right here." I give her a side-eye as my aunt's doppelganger grinds on the chick with the Jolie lips. "I swear, Chi-Chi, the way Ruby moves.." She sighs loudly. "I be a total bottom for one night with her; like she really has stroke game, doesn't she?" She smiles and waits for a dap. "No? Nothing? Aite, then."

"Ugh! I can't believe this is how I'm spending my weekend." I mutter; more so to myself than her.

"Well, if you want to do something tonight, there's a step-show & then the Kappa Alpha Psi are throwing a party right afterwards. I'm going to get there early though cause the Delta sisters are fine as hell. You know I love the color red, right?"

"Aren't you dating Zahra though? Or is it Nasir? I can't remember. It's like an episode of Maury." I ask flippantly; she flips me the bird and twist her finger in a circular motion. Mmm, she and Kyla can both do that, but Kyla does it slower. This is frustrating not being around her; sexually and emotionally. "You know, you never told me what went down after you hung up with me."

"I'm a gentlewoman, my dear Carmen. I will not kiss and tell." She replies in a posh accent; I chuckle a bit. "I shall say this. Your Spanish no longer has an affect on me now that I've heard 'Fuck! Keys, I'm coming. I'm coming' in French." She has a faraway look on her face; I know she's replaying the night in her head. I've been doing the same thing with Kyla and I. Why couldn't I just talk it out with her? Why did she react so harsh to it? Was it the alcohol still left in our systems? "Actually, she said my name in English; it's semantics and shit. But, whatever." Keys adds breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Word?" I reply with a fake half-smile; I'm only half paying attention now. "That good, huh?"

"No bullshit, she tastes better than baklava and ya moms."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "My mom's what? Cooking?"

"No. Ya moms." I let it sink in for a second, then end up mugging Keys in the face. She falls out the chair and crashes on the floor. Always somebody talking bout my mom in that way. I get it she's hot; it runs in the family, but damn. "I'm sorry, Chi-Chi. I had to. It was too easy." She gets up still laughing and I fold my arms in annoyance. "Doesn't Celeste Star moan like a banshee. If I was a guy, she'd be knocked up like that." She snaps her fingers. I swear Keys can't stay on one subject for no longer than two minutes.

"Fuck you." I said sourly. "In fact, fuck all of ya'll! Am I the only that hasn't got any this weekend?" I yell out my frustration.

"No. I don't think Nasir has cause he and Glen are having a little issue from last night's dinner. But if I'm wrong, then the answer is yes; it's your fault though." Keys admits; I frown.

"It's my fault? Cause I was being a lady?"

"Bitch, please. Since when did you care about being chivalrous?" She's right. It doesn't take long for me to get in inside a woman. A week; tops. With Keys; only 2 days. But, she was really a ho back then.

"One; you cannot say 'bitch' and then 'chivalrous' five seconds later. Two; since Kyla, I've tried to be more or less the patient girlfriend when it comes to sex, but...it's really frustrating."

"And you still screwed up." She interrupts. "Somehow, I know you did. Not to say, you're a fuck-up or anything, but you're not used to this feeling. Ashley and I are."

"How do you know anything? I know Kyla hasn't talked to you; she hasn't even mentioned much to Ashley, I had to tell her. So, why don't you tell me what you think you know, Marquita?" I challenge her; she sighs and pauses the porn with Ruby Knox now getting head.

"You really wanna go there? Cause I have no problem whatsoever telling you off." She counters with a knowing smirk.

"Let's hear it."

"You're just scared. You were scared from the start with her."

"¿_Que que_?" I give her a disbelieving look. Mostly, because I thought Ashley was the only one that could see right through me.

"Don't 'que que' me, Carmen. You know what I'm talking about. You were scared the first time because of Ashley, then because you felt you might cheat on her or betray her trust; something like that."

"And now?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're afraid she'll do you dirty." I look down and say nothing. I'd be lying my ass off if I said that thought hasn't crossed my mind. I do believe in karma and there have been women that had genuine feelings for me that I could give two fucks about now, so would it be that much of a surprise to me if Kyla does do that? I don't even know.

"Whatever, _puta_." I flag her off and she chuckles.

"I know you in a more personal sense than Ash does, Carmen. I can tell I'm right because you use Spanish more when you're angry or horny." Keys points out; I keep my mouth shut cause I was about to curse her out in Spanish which would make me a hypocrite and her even more right than she is. "Honestly, you need to talk to her; be honest with her about what you're feeling; what scares you and anything else that you're scared of saying out loud to me right now." I look at Keys' concerned eyes; she never used to be this deep before…I guess a woman really does change you; more so the right woman.

"You think she'll listen to me after a week of not really communicating with her?" I ask sardonically.

Keys cringe. "I don't know…she is Ashley's sister. She might slap the stupidity out you for not doing it sooner." Keys laughs; I pout. So much for being profound. "But, if you still need time then, you should-" Just then, music starts playing from across the room.

_"But, can you taste..a little taste of.._

_Novacane, baby, baby. Novacane, baby, I want you._

_Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb._

_Love me now; when I'm gone, love me none._

_Love me none, love me none, numb, numb, numb, numb."_

"I should do what, Keys?" I ask impatiently as she runs over to get it.

"Hold that thought. Sink full of dishes, pacing in the kitchen, cocaine for breakfast." She sings on. Cue side-eye.

"Marquita!" I yell to get her attention.

"Yikes!" She exclaims; I throw my pillow at her. I'm running out of pillows to throw; next will be sneakers. "Hey, habibti." She puts on her low, sexy voice and dodges my pillow of death. If Ashley was here, she would listen to me…unless Spencer called her, then she would be just like Keys. Jeez. I need new ride-or-die bitches in my life. "What's up? I miss you too."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" I whisper; Keys holds a finger up. I go back to sketching; giving out frustrated strokes from the pencil.

"You're still working tonight, right? Cool, cool. Just make sure you follow the procedures and whatnot." I shake my head at Keys trying to sound professional; you're talking to the girl you just boned last night. I hear Zahra's voice on the line telling her off. "Come on, I gotta say that. I'm still your boss." Zahra yells something incoherent while Keys cringes at the sound. "Aww, don't take it like that. You know what I meant." More yelling. "Baby? Baby!" I see her pout; Keys has got turned out in a matter of one night. "I'll come check on you in a few, alright?" She glances at me to see if I'm listening. Listening? I'm staring right at her doing a circle around one of my fingers. "I gotta go, I'm cheering Carmen's punk-ass up right now."

"Really though?" I ask in disbelief. Thank you for making me sound weak, Keys.

"Yes, I'll get you your coffee and a blueberry muffin." More chatter. "No, Zah, I'm not going all the way to Starbucks when there's a Dunkin Donuts down the street. You're out your damn mind." A moment later; Keys groans. "Fine I'll go. Just text me what you want specifically, aite? Ok, bye." I give her a playful smirk; she narrows her eyes. "What?"

"You are so owned now, Keys."

"And you were owned by my dick at one point of time." She retorts. "Are we done now?"

There's a knock on my door before I can snap back at her, but before I'm able to say 'come in', my mom already opens up the door. What's the point of knocking if you're just gonna come barging in anyway?

"Hello, nenas." My mom says it in the 'I know you two are up to something' way. I haven't told my mom what happened between Kyla and I; which is odd because I tell her about every girl I've had relations with. "What's going on in here?" She raises her eyebrow at both of us.

"Nothing." We say simultaneously; I see Keys trying to reach for the remote to cut the dvd off since it's stuck on a close-up view of pussy-eating.

"Well, I wanted to drop your laundry off for you." She holds up the big basket of clothes and walks the rest of the way in; Keys rushes over and cuts the tv off before she can see anything. "I separated your whites and colors cause you're shirts were becoming faded."

My face heats up and Keys rock her arms back and forth in the form of a cradle. "Thanks, mama."

"I wish my mom would do that for me. I mean, even when I go back home to visit."

"Yea, she's lucky to have a mother like me." My mother beams and Keys giggles; eyeroll ensues. "Oh and I came in here earlier; this room _e'taba sucia, mija_."

"Yea, I know…I'll clean it up right now, mom. Keys was just leaving."

"Well, not before I grab a bite to eat, I won't. Ms. Sanchez, I know you throwing something down in the kitchen; it smells delicious." Keys licks her lips and rubs her hands together; greedy motherfucker.

"Oh, Marquita, it's nothing. Just some _moros y christianos."_

Keys nods her head in understanding, but I know she doesn't know what it means. "And what's that again?"

"Black beans and rice." I translate while putting my clothes away. "Bet you can't find that in your dictionary."

"I would curse you out in French right now if I could." Keys replies in resentment.

"I probably know more than you."

"¡_Ya basta!_" My mom chuckles at our banter. "You girls are like gnats; always bothering one another. Anyways, I made steak with it."

"Sounds tasty." Keys replies; it's nothing to me. I get home cooked meals almost every night. Almost. Lately, though, mom has been spending more and more nights at her boyfriend's house. "Can you make my plate to go though? I gotta stop and check on the shop before I get ready for this Greek party."

"You mean make sure that Zahra is ok with you going to this party, right?"

"…she can trust me." Keys says quietly; I burst out laughing. "I know you not laughing."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You know what it means." I stare her down, but she points to her eyes and rolls them. My mom looks between the two of us. "I'll call you later, Chi-Chi, to see if you want me to pick you up or not." I chuck the deuce at her and she walks downstairs. I put the rest of my clothes away while my mom eyes me down. My back is turned to her, but I can feel it.

"Carmenita, _¿'ta toda bien?_" My mom asks after a few moments.

"_Todo entiya, _mom." I say plainly.

"Hmm…are you going out to the party tonight? Maybe get some fresh air-" AKA 'Get the hell outta the house and do something'. She doesn't say it, but I can tell it's what she's thinking.

"Yea, maybe, mom." I cut her off and I see the disappointment in her face. "I'll be down in a few to eat, ok?" I give her a pitiful look that says not now and she's giving me a nod the head that this isn't over. Didn't think so.

"Shit…" My phone buzzes once on my desk; I rush over there hoping it's Kyla texting me. Instead, it's Keys. Damn! Didn't she just go downstairs? Her message reads: _Please come 2 the party w/ me, Chi-Chi. :( I'll wear my 'I Love Tribbing' t-shirt if you do. ;)_

God, she's a mess. But, at least that made me laugh.

I just texted her 'ok' in response and kept it moving. I stay upstairs for a few more; wondering if I should lay some clothes out for this party. I got the phone in my hand; ready to call Kyla to see if we can talk, then realizing I'm not sure what to say.

_"Ven ya, Carmenita, la jama se enfría." _My mom calls out.

"I'm not hungry, mom."

"Carmen, don't make me say it twice." Pssh! I hate when my mom gets all…mom-like. You know, like stern and whatnot. I'm a grown-ass woman; if I don't wanna eat, I won't. Still, I don't want her to come up here with my food in one hand and a chancleta in the other, so I hurry downstairs.

Mom is already eating and Keys is already gone. She points to the chair across from her and I take a seat. I sigh out loud. "I told you I'm not hungry, mom." She stares at me for a minute before going back to eating.

"You don't wanna eat? That's fine. We'll talk instead." I roll my eyes and cross my arms. "What's been going on with you lately, Carmen?" I stay mute; not really in the mood to talk but she'll make me anyway. "Is it school? Ashley?"

"Of course not." I say tersely. "School's fine. Ashley and I are straight."

"Straight? You two like men now?" I scrunch my face up in disgust; she laughs a little at my reaction. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Seriously though, _mija_, talk to me."

It's silent for a couple of minutes before I say what's really been on my mind this past week. "I think…I think I might've screwed things up a bit with Kyla." I hold my head down in shame.

"Hmm…is that why she hasn't been here all this week?"

"Yes." I frown.

"And what did you do?" I hesitated before explaining everything that went down that night. At least, the parts I can remember. That's the thing though. I remember the club; dancing and drinking. I remember seeing some girl try to hit on Kyla at the club, too, I think. Some chick in a cat costume, but I thought nothing of it. Kyla knows what she has with me. I remember the lapdance somewhat; I know she enjoyed that. The foreplay was a bit of blur though cause it all happened so fast. Did I have an orgasm? Hmm..but Kyla saying those three words sobered me right up. I felt that I did the right thing, but why do I feel so shitty? "So, you just let her run out?"

"Yea. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since."

"Oh, you've had chances, Carmen. It's just that you wasted them."

"Mom.." I start; she holds her hand up to silence me.

"What I want to know is why haven't you still explained yourself to her?

"And say what, Mom? 'My apologies, Ky, it's just that I've been wanting to get it in with you for so long, but you saying you love me freaked me out'? That 'we were drunk and that's not how I pictured it'?"

"That's a start, Carmen. At least, you're being honest with her."

"Oh, like papi was honest with you, right?" I get up out my seat, but my mom holds my forearm in place. She stares me down with that look of hers and I sit back down. I immediately feel bad for putting my pops in the equation. A daughter should not do that to her mother.

"Let me explain something to you, child. Your father was never honest with me. I would catch him in his lies and only then would that _pendejo_ admit his faults. Do not be like him." I never knew that about my dad; I always thought he was honest with my mother, but I'll say it again: My old man is a pussy.

"What if I can't help it?" I ask vulnerably.

"You will, Carmen. It's different. You can't put my past…our past with your future. Those are two different scenarios. You and your father are different; whether you think so or not." I start to feel my eyes burn; I'm not the crying type. Nevertheless, hearing my mother's words just makes me want to cradle into her arms.

"Why is this happening, mama? I mean, why am I noticing her right now and not back when she first wanted me?"

My mom does a sad smile and grabs my hand. "_Mija,_ I hate to admit it, but you missed out on a couple of good girls."

"Like who?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Like Nicole…or Raquel…or even Melina; she was nice." My mom smiles. Of course, I know my mom disapproves of the one-night stands and the meaningless sex, but the fact that she doesn't judge me and listens to all my bullshit is why I love her so much.

"I don't remember any of those girls." I reply honestly. Was Melina the one with the mirrors over her bed? Or was that Raquel? I think that was a whole other girl altogether.

"That's because you never cared for them like you do for this one." She replies. "Carmen, you've always had sexual connections; never an emotional one. Of course, you're afraid. It's ok to admit that; especially to Kyla. In fact, now it's time to put this image of being some '_mujeriego_' away. Ashley, too." She does a smirk.

"I think we prefer the term 'non-committal', ma'am." I joke slightly. "Besides, once I give it up, I'll just pass the 'Don Juan' trait to your sons."

"Oh, don't you dare." She points threateningly; we both chuckle.

"So, are we done here?" I ask; already starting to get up. The talk helped, but I still don't think I'll be seeing Kyla this weekend to straighten things out.

"No, not quite. There's something I want you to do with me."

I roll my eyes in frustration. "You mean besides talk?"

"Yes, but this will be the last thing I say to you for this talk." Not for tonight though, I bet. "Don't ever wait to the last minute to apologize to a woman. A woman can forgive you, but she never forgets."

"Are you also gonna tell me 'hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn' as well?" I retort.

"I think you would know that. Many females have passed through your life. Especially, that cabro-" I quirk her eyebrow. "I mean that Kelly girl."

"No, mom, you were right the first time. She's a _cabrona._" We both bust out laughing. "So, now that you made your point. What do you want me to do?"

"Get some food in your stomach first, and then meet me in the living room, ok?"

"What for?"

"Just meet me in there." I open my mouth to say something, but she disappears quickly. My stomach starts grumbling, so I so I do her and my body a favor.

After, I'm filled up on grub, I go into the living room. I walk over to where my mother is kneeling; she has the golden altar for the Orisha ready, her favorite being Oshun. She told me a long time ago that my father and I were children of Chango; I didn't understand it then but now I know, it had something to do with us being who we are as lovers of women; definitely plural on that one. We're also boisterous, virile; etc...our passion runs deep though for whomever we're with at the time. I never wanted to be like my mother with women; so instead, I copied him. For more mimics, I just be myself.

"_Mija_, kneel down with me." She commands softly after reciting the lines for opening the spirit world's gates. I'm hesitant at first because it's been so long since I've done any of this. Yea, I have a tat to show my adherence, but I'm not a religious person. To be honest, it used to scare me a little. "I honestly don't like seeing you like this, Carmen. You look like your papi..except, I know that you truly are sorry for whatever you did. Personally, I think you started off right, but you should've gone after her that night."

"I know, mama." I hold my head down.

"And then, you not calling to talk about it and-" She goes on as I suck my teeth. I'm lucky she didn't pop me in my mouth cause she can't stand that.

"Yes, I know, mama. What do you want me to do?" I reply as calmly as I can.

"I want you to pray." She greets the Orisha with the appropriate chant. Sorta sounds like the chant Tina Turner used before she beat Ike the fuck up in the movie.

"What?" I look at her and then the altar with the cinnamon sticks, the cowrie shells, the small bowl of honey and water, the statue of the goddess herself in the form of Saint…I don't even remember. That's papi's side; the names of the Catholic saints weren't cool enough for me to remember.

"Pray to Oshun to help you fix this, child." I bite my jaw because I feel like my mom is taking this a little too far. "It will help."

"Mom, I love you, but this isn't gonna work." I fold my arms tightly.

"Do you love her, Carmen?" I nod my head yes. "Are you _in love_ with her?" My mom asks quietly. I wait a moment, then nod my head slowly. "_Pues, dile a Oshun_."

I'm feeling all these emotions right now as my mother basically makes me admit to her as well as myself. Anger, sadness, regret but as I stare in my mom's eyes and back at the statue; I feel hope. I feel another emotion once my mom puts a picture of Kyla that I recently drew on the altar as well. It's an emotion that I never thought I would surrender to: Love.

Two and a half hours later, I'm back in my room. The ritual didn't take that long, I was just spending time with the old lady watching First Wives Club; she loves that damn movie. I'm lying down; eyes looking straight up. I still smell the incense burning downstairs and my mom listening to Tito Puente. I'm showered and half-dressed. I decided to go out, but I haven't moved from this spot yet. Things that Ashley said, that Keys said, that my mom said are all jumbled up in my brain. I haven't really been able to come up with a great way to apologize to Kyla cause I never had to do it; never had a genuine reason. I know I should go out and chill for a bit with Keys, but I really wanna talk to my hadita, also. But where would I start?

A knock on my door makes me snaps me out of my thoughts. "Come in." I say as I sit up. My mother opens the door, but just stands there. "I said you can come in."

"I know, I just wanted to let you know that I love you, mijita. You're my first-born."

"Mama, I-" She holds her hand up for her to continue: I'm getting tired of this silencing hand of hers.

"And to tell you that you need a day off from worrying about this. Everything will work out as it should, ok?" I nod my head. "Have fun at the party, but if you decide to talk to Kyla tonight, do it with ease and with your heart." I get up and give my mother a tight hug. "I'll be spending the night out."

I gasp in fake-surprise. "Oooh, _cochina_"

She gives me a side-eye that she's not amused. "Hey! I'm still a woman with needs, ok? Being a mom doesn't stop that."

"Mhm. Whatever you say, mom." She holds me at arm's length and brushes the bangs out my eyes. "What is it now?"

"I realized although you have his eyes…." She places a finger on my chest. "You have my compassion."

I smile widely at this Kodak moment. "I also have your looks, not too sure about my brothers." She smacks my arm lightly and kisses my forehead. "Have fun tonight, mama. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too, cariña. Be careful." She turns back around for a moment. "Oh, by the way, next time you decide to watch a skin flick in my house, your tv better be lower than that." She quirks an eyebrow and walks off.

I shake my head and curse Keys out mentally. Oh, well, time to face the music. By that, I mean 'partying' cause I don't know if I'm ready to explain to Kyla. I put on my 'Every day, I'm shuffling' tank-top, some electric blue Puma's and I'm out the door.

Kappa Party

_"I'm drinking rum and Redbull._

_Hennessy get me heart full._

_Dem wah me get awful_

_Like dem on di dancefloor get crawlful."_

Parking is a bitch for parties. I rather not park on the lawn of a house; just in case the cops shows up. They'll automatically get your license plate. It's packed as shit up and here. I told Keys to meet me at the front of the house, I don't like going through the crowd cause I always get hit on by the most arrogant or overbearing-cologne wearing assholes in the place. Speaking of which…

"Ohh, shit." I hear someone say behind me. "Can I get to know you, mamacita?" Mamacita? Really, dude? Try harder for your own sake. I roll my eyes and try to walk off, but he already grabs my hand firmly and spins me around. "Hold up, hold up, someone as beautiful as you must've just fallen from Heaven. What's the rush? Chill for a lil bit." He does a cocky grin; one that I do to girls, but mines actually works. His just makes him look like a creeper. "Have you, uh, ever been touched by an angel?" Say what? Is he serious? I look over his shoulder and see the rest of his frat brothers cheering him on. He just became an Iota this semester. I decide to give in to his advances the best way I know how.

"No, papo, I haven't." I say tracing the Greek letters on his shirt; he leans in a bit more into me; obviously faded right now. His cologne is making me sick to my stomach. I pull back before he gets any closer. "But now that I've met you, I've been touched by a dick." His face goes from shocked to salty in about 2.5 seconds as his frat brothers keel over laughing. "Excuse me."

I leave the scene and navigate my way through the crowd that's on the dance floor aka the living room. I think about texting Keys to see where she's at, but the bass of the music plus the likelihood of her grinding up against some sorority girl, I decide against it.

I make my way to the kitchen to get some juice until I get bumped into. The bumper's drink splashes right on the floor.

"Damn, I just made that drink!" The person yells at me; not really caring cause I'm too busy checking to see if my sneaks are messed up. "Carmen?"

I look up to the sound of my name. It's Glen; a very plastered Glen. "Twink, what's up?" I do my lop-sided smile, but inside I'm a little antsy cause if he's here, then Kyla might be here too.

"Stop calling me that, carpet-muncher." He slurs and pokes me in my shoulder. "I'm not a twink, I'm a beast." He pumps his fist on his chest; I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, right, I forgot." I snap my fingers. "You're part of the bear community now, right?" He gives me a flat face until he starts giggling like a school-girl.

"I'll admit; that was a good one." He smirks. "You're still a muff-diver for making me spill my drink." He points to the floor.

"Whatever, Glen. You bumped into me." He shrugs and looks at a muscular, Black guy passing him by. The man looks like a MMA fighter or something.

"Well, you owe me a drink, so-hey, sexy." Glen does a head nod; the guy looks around. "Yeah, you."

"Glen, what the hell are you doing?" I slap him on the arm.

"You into vanilla?" He asks the guy; then winks at him. The dude looks like he's about to fuck Glen up.

"He's kidding." I laugh nervously.

"No, I'm not. You know I'm not." The guy flags Glen and leaves the room quickly.

"Yes, the fuck you are. Come over here." I drag him by his shirt as he stumbles over his own flip-flops. I swear I'm gonna burn all of Glen's flip-flops except one pair and that will be for the beach. It'll be like an intervention. "What is goin on with you?"

"Don't you know? I always go for the down-low type." He says sourly. "The type that you know that are huge flamers; yet they are still cowards. You know those types. Gotta love 'em."

"Um…ok." I furrow my eyebrows; wondering what Glen is talking about. Then, it hit me. "I take it the dinner last night wasn't that great."

He does a bitter laugh. "Oh, no. It was fucking perfect. Good food. Nice folks..well, at least Nas' folks were. But, they don't really count since my date was Zahra."

"I see.." I wait for him to continue as he ruffles his faux-hawk out; looking frustrated as the seconds pass.

"But, like I said, it was perfect. Perfect Middle Eastern food, perfect Muslim family… perfect straight-acting, Muslim son. Everything was just an eye-opener to me." Every word of his is now dripping with sarcasm.

"Listen, Glen, I know that might not have been the dinner with the folks you were expecting, but at least, you can see where he's coming from."

"Where he's coming from?" Glen cuts his eyes at me. "You don't think I came from that? Do any of ya'll think it was easy for me when I came out to my parents; even after my gay sister came out?"

"I thought your mom didn't know."

"Well, she does now. I texted it to her about an hour ago." My mouth drops open.

"You drunk-texted to your mom that you're gay?" I ask; I don't believe him. No way!

"Yup." His chest swells up. "Bisexual, actually." I roll my eyes at his correction. "See? That's what I'm talking about."

"What?"

"I'm bisexual. Not confused, not 'just experimenting', not gateway to gay." He throws his hands up. "Do you know no one really takes bisexuals seriously? Especially, guys." He stands up and throws his hands in the air. "I like pussy and cock, dammit! Equally!" He shouts; a few people eye him down strangely.

I grab him by the pants leg and tug him back down. "Glen, would you shut the fuck up, please? Take it easy, yo!" He looks at me with his sad, blue eyes and I immediately feel bad for yelling at him. I didn't realize he felt so much for Nasir that living in the closet is an issue.

"Carmen, I refuse to hide who I am or be with someone who's afraid to be who he is." He says boldly. "I won't."

"Listen, I love how you're all out and proud now, but have some consideration that his cultural background is a bit different from yours, alright? That you may be the first guy that he's actually brought to meet his parents..so to speak. I'm pretty sure he doesn't like the fact that he can't be true to his feelings for you." I rub Glen's back as he puts his head in his palms. "Just talk it out with him, Glen." He snaps his head up and gives me a pitiful look.

"First of all, I don't wanna talk to him. He knows why I'm upset. Second of all, who are you to be giving me advice like that when you haven't even talked to Ky?" His facial expression changes from pitiful to protective.

"I was just trying to help, twink. You know, make your drunk-ass feel better." I say getting defensive.

"Well, maybe you should listen to your own advice and make her feel better, too. Do you know she thought you would call at the very most in three days; three days tops, Carmen. Like, you've been avoiding her all week. You're lucky UCLA is a big-ass campus."

"_Coño, _am I on everyone's shit list now?" I smooth my bangs down to regroup. "Look, I know I'm being a jerk to her and I will fix this soon."

"You better." He threatens. His eyes are all droopy and he's all sweating profusely, but trust me; he's still coherent enough to threaten me. "Until then, I'll tell Kyla not to hold her breath." He adds in a patronizing tone; I press my lips together and lower my head.

"Is she here with you?" I ask softly.

"Oh, she's here." He says matter-of-factly "Somewhere."

"Where?" I ask looking around for her. I guess it's a sign that I should talk to her tonight.

"How the fuck should I know? I'm not her keeper." Glen is such a moody drunk, isn't he? "She's the designated driver for tonight. Her daddy bought her a new ride a couple days ago."

"That's nice. Yo, if you see her, tell her I'm here looking for her." He gives me a thumbs up as I roll my eyes. "Have you seen Keys?"

"No..." He replies. I see a hint of guilt on his face. "Tell her we need to talk, too, if you run into her."

"Will do." Looks like we both got our missions for tonight; I start to walk away when Glen grabs my shirt.

"Carmen." He pauses

"Yea?"

"Don't fuck it up." Pssh! When did he start talking like RuPaul?

"Don't get anymore fucked up tonight." I retort. "You're done for the night."

"Whatever, Mommy Sanchez." We both give each other a small smile and head our separate ways. I hope he doesn't try to hit on any more muscle-bound dudes at this party unless his gaydar is on point.

The song changes up to 'Tupac Back'. For the record, Tupac is not back if he comes in the form of Rick Ross or even Meek Millz; cause if he is, Hip-Hop has reached it's Armageddon point.

I'm almost positive Keys is dancing/flirting with a girl somewhere cause there are some sexy biddies here that are half-naked and three-fourths drunk. However, that's not my concern. I see a flash of breasts that I can never forget; I have a photographic memory. Unfortunately, the cleavage belongs to a person I wasn't looking for. Her eyes steer towards my direction and I immediately turn my face away. Not the time; not the time at all.

"Carmen?" I hear my voice being called out; I fast-pace into the other direction. I don't even look to see who's calling me. "Carmen!" I jog upstairs so 'she' can't find me. "Chi-Chi!" I stop and turn around to see Keys all out of breath. "Woman, why did you run?"

I breathe a sigh of relief as she climbs the rest of the steps. "Sorry, Keys. I thought you were someone else."

"Like who? Freddy Kreuger? You high-tailed your ass quick." She chuckles as she takes a sip of her drink.

"No, you dick. Kelly. I just saw her."

"Oh, your crazy ho of an ex."

"She was never an ex of mine."

"Well, tell her that. Cause I'm sure she thinks different if you're trying to avoid her."

"I'll make sure to put that on my 'get to that shit never' list. Why didn't you text me when you got here? We could've done a shot together." Keys grins. She's on one right now, but not like Glen.

"I'm trying to keep a sober head tonight, ma. No drinks, just in case…" I don't finish my sentence; Keys understands. "By the way, I saw Glen earlier. He wants to talk with you."

"Yea, yea, I know he's here." She flags me. "Actually, he was dancing with Ky earlier. I'll talk to him later when we're both sobered up some."

"Do you know where she is right now?" I ask quickly.

"Do you see how many people are in here, Chi-Chi?" Keys answers my question with a question.

"Well, I don't care. It's time that I talked to her and fix things. Glen chewed my ass out about it before I ran into you." I admit.

"Go head, Goldilocks." Keys smiles. "Well, you wanna take a sip for courage." I give her a serious look. "I'm playin'. Jeez.."

"I'm sure you've been doing that a lot tonight, haven't you?" I smirk.

"I'm pretty much taken at this point, Carmen." She says frankly. "The most contact I had tonight was drunk co-eds asking me what does my shirt mean. Two of them wanted to try it with me though."

"You're such a slut, Keys." I say playfully.

"How am I a slut?" She exclaims; I look her up and down like she should know; she laughs. "I told those chicks I'm seeing someone right now. If anything, you're a slut, too. So is Glen."

"No, I'm a player." She gives me a sideways look. "Was." I correct myself. "But, I agree with you on Glen."

"A player and a slut are the same thing. There's no double standard in the lesbian circle. I don't care if you're fem, stud, versatile. Leave that to the breeders."

"Fine! We were both sluts then." I agree; I laugh at her reasoning.

"Yea…but you were more of a slut than I was cause I had relationships in between my fuckfest moments. You just weren't there to witness them."

"Keys, that's bullshit."

"No, it's not. Case in point; Kelly. You were messing with a grade-A ho."

"How is Kels a ho and not a slut?" I question curiously.

"Because she messed with you while she had a dude and she was living with him. Like you were with her for half of the time she was with him. That's not cute."

"True. True." I scan the area for Kyla. Why are there so many brunettes in here? Damn. "Well, Ashley is definitely not a player/slut anymore." I add proudly; we three really are maturing.

"Yeah, I can see her locked down with S Dot for a long time."

"She better be. I do not want her to end up with another smut like Jonica."

"A smut? What the hell is that?"

"A ho that brags about her business like it's her god-given right. They also have low standards." I explain.

"You Northerners and your slang." She shakes her head amusingly. It's more so an East coast thing, but whatever.

"I know you're not talking, Keys. You make up shit on the fly."

"Well, if that's the case, she a fucking duck." A duck? What the hell?

"Please, enlighten me." I can't believe this convo we're having. "What is a 'duck'?"

"A 'duck' is one who quacks a lot about all the geese and swan ass she's tapped in the pond. Their webbed-ass feet trample on every bird's heart and they can care less. I.E.: Jonica." She says like she's reading from a dictionary. "Oh and she's ugly."

"Say what?" I bust out laughing. "Alright, give me the cup. This drink has you talking wildin." I grab it out of her hands.

"Noooo. Not my Rocky Balboa." She pouts. Rocky Balboa? Never heard of that one. "It packs a lot of punch; hence the name." She says answering my thoughts.

"Well, time to throw in the towel." I add. We make our way to the stairs when we're stopped by a vain grin and red hair. No, I'm not talking about Ronald McDonald either.

"Sanchez." Jonica says in a sly tone. "Pleasure seeing you here."

"Man, see what we did, Chi-Chi? We talked her duck-ass up." Keys announces.

"Carmen, you may wanna put a muzzle on your bitch." She says calmly. She glances at her for a split-second, then back at me.

"I got your bitch, Joni boy." Keys snaps as she moves towards her. I hold Keys back though.

"_Tranquila, _mami." I whisper to Keys. Jonica must be a 5th degree black belt or stupid if she thinks about getting into a disagreement with Marquita. Since I fought with Ashley, I'm not in the mood to throw any punches. "What do you want?"

"Me? A lot of things. Ashley's kid sister at the moment."

"You mean my girlfriend, Jonica." I say emphasizing 'my girlfriend'. The _huevos _on this chick.

"Not for long." She fixes her side-swept bang and takes a swig of her drink as I cut my eyes at her. Is everybody drinking except me?

"I'm really getting tired of your shit." I say harshly. "You don't have any business with any of us. Not Ashley, not me, and most definitely, not Kyla." My eyes stare into her icy blues; they look even more menacing now that they're red-shot. In them, they show no remorse for the past years. Shameless is her middle name; no bullshit.

"Sanchez, when will you understand that I always get what I want? I had your best friend already. As awesome as she was, she caught feelings. So, I had to let her go." Keys rolls her eyes at her arrogance. "I even had your best piece; Kelly." My eyes widen at that revelation. Since when did she and Kelly smash? "I see why you were messing with her for so long. Hell of a tongue game, that one." I give her a twisted look.

"You can keep her if you want." I counter. I mean it though. Those two were made for each other.

"Nah, I was just an escape for her; she loves you too much to ever part and she would do anything." She gets close to my face. "And I do mean anything to get you back." I push her away as she chuckles.

"Like fucking you?" Keys asks. "Pfft! That's low even for her." I have to agree; but Jonica is known to be a pathological liar.

"Now, time to move on to fresher meat." Jonica just shrugs nonchalantly. "I bet Kyla's real tender, too. Hasn't been tainted yet, right?"

"Bitch, you sound like a werewolf. Is there a full moon out tonight or something?" Keys wisecracks. I swear if I wasn't upset right now, I would be laughing.

"If I was, you would be my first victim. Though, I only go for dark meat occasionally." She retorts.

Keys turns to me. "Please, let me clock her. She's talking reckless. Seriously."

"No, let's go, Keys." I say putting a hand on her shoulder. "She's not worth it. Let's go find Kyla." We begin to walk down the stairs, but I go back and stop mere inches from her face. "I'm only going to say this once; BACK. THE. FUCK. OFF." I stress every word out with aggression.

She looks down and shakes her head. "It's only a matter of time before she sees you fuck up."

"I won't." I assure her as well as myself; she quirks an eyebrow.

"When you do, I'll be the one to help her through it." I let out a haughty laugh. "Then after I get what I want from her, you're next. You're the main course, Carmen." She pucks her lips up for a kiss and laughs. I think I just threw up in my mouth some. _¡Uy!_

"You girls enjoy your night." She calls out while walking down the stairs. "I'm gonna go find the other Miss Davies." Just like that, she goes Houdini in the crowd.

"_¡Coño!_"I spit out as I bit me lip in frustration.

"I second that. You're right, Chi-Chi, she's the epitome of a smut. Like how did she not get a drink thrown on to her yet?"

"Because she doesn't act like that when she's trying to get a girl. She's all sweet and considerate. I don't trust her at all. She's up to something."

"Well, forget what she said. You know Kyla wouldn't fall for her lame-ass lines. Go find your boo before she does. I'll go find G.C.; he's probably blowing chunks somewhere." She chuckles a bit; but I'm not

"Yea, I should do that." I say coolly. I rub my hands together while I try to keep my breathing even. All that shit Jonica said got under my skin, but I refused to let her see that it did.

Keys sighs and rubs me on my back soothingly. "We can hunt, maim and kill Joni Boy after everything is settled, if you like." She gives me a wide-tooth grin.

"Sounds like an event I wouldn't miss." I smile grimly.

"Hi, Carm." Keys and I look to see who it is. Fuck my life. Fuck my life with a cheap-ass dildo with no KY jelly. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Please?" I hear her say softly; almost pleading. She gives Keys a side-eye. "Alone."

"This can't be happening." I pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Tonight is not your night, Chi-Chi." Keys whispers honestly. Kelly stares down Keys. "I'll make sure nothing dumb is happening." She eyes Kelly up and down and shakes her head before disappearing into the crowd.

"Now is not a good time, Kelly. I'm busy." I try to move past her, but she gets in my way.

"Just two minutes." The song switches to an old Ginuwine song. Who the hell wants to hear 'In Those Jeans' right now?"

"Honestly, I have nothing to say to you, Kelly. Are you like stalking me or something?" I ask openly.

"What?" Kelly feigns shock. "Why would I do that? I mean, yeah-we run into each other..I mean, well..it's not like this is a big campus or anything. We're bound to be at the same parties, right?" I give her a bemused look. "I just want to talk to you."

"Kelly." I heave out an exasperated sigh. "If I haven't contacted you at all in a few months, that means I don't wanna talk to you." I state; she gives me an irked face. "I gotta go."

"So you can find your girlfriend?" She asks with venom in her voice.

"Yes." I say anxiously. "And you're wasting my time." I walk off and she puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Carmen Sanchez with a girlfriend? Does that even sound right?" She makes a 'hmmph' sound.

"When it's the right woman, yes, it sounds right to me. I know you're upset because it's not you." I reply.

"She seems so…ordinary compared to what you had." She continues; not even acknowledging what I said. "Don't you miss any of this?" She asks with a sultry look on her face

"Kels, what I had wasn't enough for me." I turn around and face her; she frowns. "Since, you and I stopped messing around, Kyla's who I wanted."

"What about what I want?" She asks like a spoiled brat. I probably did spoil her sexually, but, for her to think we had anything more than that; she's insane. "She doesn't deserve you, Carmen." She reaches out to touch my face, but I brush her hand out the way.

"Don't touch me, Kelly." I say curtly.

"Carmen, I-"

"I can give a flying fuck what you want." I walk off quickly; she rushes around to the front of me.

"Baby, please. You don't know how much you mean to me." She looks like she's about to cry and I could care less. "I…I'm in love with you." She admits with defeat.

"Well, join the club 'cause you're not the only one." I say sourly. Fuck her feelings from this point on.

"I mean it, dammit!" She shouts angrily; I give her the 'up-and-down' nod.

"Spare me. If I meant anything to you then, you would've left that douchebag of a boyfriend of yours for me. If I meant anything to you now, you wouldn't have fucked the biggest whore of them all; Jonica." She opens her mouth to say something, then closes it. "Yeah. Exactly."

"Carmen, she said if I did, then there was a way I could be with you. She didn't mean anything to me; you do." She grabs my arms, but I shake her off of me.

"You mean to tell me you gave it up to her just to get a chance with me again?" I ask in disbelief; she looks away. "Not only is that crazy, but that's also pathetic as hell, Kelly. You honestly think I would be with you now after that?" I laugh in her face. "Kyla is more of a lady than you'll ever be. She's everything that you're not and that's why I'm with her." I say with a smug face.

She nods her head. "Well, if she's everything you want and more, then why is she not with you and with Jonica right now?"

"WHAT?" I shout out. I go to look, but Kelly has a tight grip on me. I really don't want to hit her. I tend not to hit girls that I had relations with, but she's pushing it. "Kelly, get the fuck off of me."

"Shh, Carmen, it's ok. Just let Joni have Kyla." She holds me from behind; I forgot she used to do gymnastics so her arms are strong.

"Are you fucking nuts?" I know it's rhetorical. But, come on, since when was Jonica deemed ruler of all the twat in L.A.? She lets me go suddenly and swivels me around. "Seriously, Kels, you need to see a shrink.

"She won't trust you anyway. Not after the club." She replies in a disturbing tone. The Club? What does she…? Flashback time…Oh my god. No, no, no. Tell me Kelly did not say anything to-of course she did. I'm dealing with a 'Robocop'. Where's Yeezy at when you need him to interrupt a moment?

"You..." I point at her. "You said something to her." It wasn't a question, I already knew the answer. That's why Kyla reacted the way she did. I need to fix this. Soon!

"I did it for us-"

"There's no fucking 'us'! I scream in her face; she smiles in a creepy way. Wrong move to do. She grabs my head and lands a wet, rigid kiss right on my lips. I think I might need to wash my mouth out with hydrogen peroxide after this just to wash the taste of cranberry vodka skank out of my mouth. I push her off of me with force and her back hits the wall; she winces at the impact. "I swear if you pull any of this shit again, I'm kicking your ass and then get a restraining order. _No me jodes._"

"Fine, but if I can't have you. She won't either." Why do I feel like Bill Compton and Kelly's Lorena. I furrow my eyebrows in anger as she points behind me. I turn swiftly and there's Kyla staring at me with her mouth ajar and wide eyes. Jonica is next to her; with that trademark leering smirk of hers.

"Kyla?" She starts to back away slowly; shaking her head like she doesn't believe the scene in front of her. My face pales; I know she can't hear what we're saying, but the body language is telling her a lie. This is all a lie and I beg with my eyes for her to believe me. "Kyla, wait!" She bolts it through the crowd and I'm left in the dust again. I turn back around and Kelly is looking expectantly at me; as if we're about to live happily ever after.

"This is what you wanted?" I say it as a rhetorical question. My nose flares up; the light in her eyes dies down. "Huh?" She reaches out to me, but I pin her ass to the wall; my palm smashes into her shoulder. I know I'm hurting her, but I don't give a damn. My mom would not approve of this right now. "I want you out of my life. If I see you, walk the other way." She tries to move, but I pin her up again. "You can say what you want and do whatever dirty trick, but it won't change the fact that I don't love you, Kelly. I will never love you." I stare at her intensely; her eyes are watering up. "I love Kyla! Do you understand me?" I declare. Her mouth drops open and her bottom lip starts to tremble. "I LOVE HER!" I punch the wall a few inches from her head. I give her one last look and run towards the direction Kyla ran in. I would like to say that I punched a hole through the wall, but I didn't. These old-ass buildings are stable as hell. I put a dent in it though, I think. Fuck! My right hand is hurting.

"Well, I guess Kyla is a single woman now." Jonica calls out to me as I past her.

"¡_Vete p'al carajo!_" I shoot back.

"You and little Davies are both feisty, aren't you? Tsk. Tsk. Too bad you didn't have that mouth of yours when I was fucking your bff." This chick really needs her ass handed to her. "She might've listened to you…nah! She wouldn't have.

I turn around and stand right up to that sadistic little smirk of hers. "If you say one more word about Ashley or Kyla, it will be your last tonight." I say with all seriousness; she stifles a snicker. "You know what? Fuck it."

**-BAM-**

I didn't realize that I was cocking my arm back; that my left hand was forming into a fist. But, Jonica didn't know that my hook was nothing to fuck with as it made impact with her narrow nose. The next thing I heard was:

"Ahhh! Owww! Fuck!" That would be Jonica, of course; stumbling & holding her nose as blood gushes out like a geyser.

"Ohh, shit!" That would be Glen.

"Dayum!" That would be Keys. Where did they pop up from?

_-¡Aayyyy!-_ That would be me saying that in my own mind. Now, both of my hands are injured. Awesome.

"You little bitch. I'm pressing charges on your ass." She shrieks; I hear her spit out some blood on the floor.

As soon as I hear that, I go back for seconds. I'm in pain (for more than one reason); yet, the fury that I have inside of what just happened wants to be loose. She cringes with her hands; blocking her face as I swing again. Keys & Glen tackle and pick me up before I can lay another hand on her. I kick, scream, and curse all the way out to the front door.

"Carmen, relax, please!" Glen says soothingly. He tries to pat my back, but I shrug him off violently.

"Relax? Did you not see what just went down? I should've stomped on her." I look at my left hand. It's just as bruised as the right one. How am I gonna explain this to my moms?

"We saw, Carm." Keys says evenly; I know she thinks I'm gonna run back in there to finish the job on Joni. "But, right now, you need to go find Kyla. Cause she saw the same thing we did; she needs to hear it from you though." Damn, she's right. I need to calm myself down. I know Kyla is probably thinking the worst of me right now. I take a few minutes to settle down my rage.

"Do you know where she is?" I ask with worry.

"Well, obviously, not with Jonica right now." Glen points out; Keys smacks him upside the head to shut up.

"You should call her." Keys suggests.

"No, she should go look for her."

"Are you crazy? So, she can finish what she started on ol' girl?" Glen flags her.

"It's better than calling. Who would wanna get a call after a week?" Glen retorts; she gives Glen a sideways 'hush' look. So glad they made up. *side-eye*

"Shut up! Both of you." I move over to the side to get away. I take a deep breath and dial Kyla's number. At least, if she picks up, we can meet somewhere. The phone rings three times before I hear silence. "Hello? Kyla? It's me." Of course, she knows it's me; it's a fucking cell phone. A few moments pass. "Kyla?" I look at my phone to see if she hung up, but it says she's still on. "Listen, I-"

"One week." She says in a low voice. It's quiet in the background; maybe, she's in her car or in the bathroom. I furrow my eyebrows. "One week without you contacting me."

"Yea, I know." I rub my forehead.

"No, you fucking don't know, Carmen. Seriously, I don't know what's up with you. I finally want to give myself to you; you don't take advantage of it. I give you time to yourself for you to contact me; you take advantage of that though."

"I know, I know." I say pacing on the lawn; I feel my friends' eyes on me. "It's just that-"

"You only wanted me for the time being, right? As always with women."

"No!" I yell; I take a deep breath to calm myself down. "Look, can we meet up, please? I want to talk to you." I say with my broken voice; the line on the other end is quiet for a minute." I hear her sniffling and guilt washes over me.

"I don't want to see you." My heart clenches some at her words. "Like I said; go back to that slut of yours." Ho, actually. Same difference.

"I don't want Kelly, hadita. I want you." I look up in the windows of the house to see if I see her. Her silhouette is playing off the shade of the bathroom. Trust me; I know her curves from anywhere. "You got it all wrong."

"I'm sure I do." Kyla says cynically. "Jonica told me what was going on."

"Jonica told you, huh?" I say it with a sullen pitch. "I just left her narcissistic ass with a broken nose cause over the shit she pulled." My voice begins to raise. "And you mean to tell me you take that smut's word over mine, Kyla? Your own girlfriend? Come the fuck on, ma!" I yell in the phone.

"I saw you kiss that bitch, Carmen." She says with hurt in her voice; now, I hear her crying. I know from her point of view, this is all messed up. She hasn't seen me that much this week and the first appearance she sees is me with Kelly. "Don't you have any consideration for my feelings? At least, do your dirt somewhere else."

"What dirt, man? She kissed me, mami. I swear to you."

"Yea, I bet you say that to all the girls when you're trapped in that situation."

"Fuck outta here!" Now, my blood is starting to boil again. "I didn't do anything. If you would've stayed, you would've seen that I told her ass off, Ky. I told her I.." Kyla sucking her teeth; interrupting me again.

"No. No. I don't wanna hear it anymore, Carmen. I was stupid to believe you changed."

"Hadita, I swear on everything, I have changed. Just have faith in me." I grab my hair in aggravation. "Jonica, Kelly; they taking us through the loop and making me look like I'm the bad guy when I'm not this time. It's a set-up. Why can't you see that?" All I hear is quiet sobs on the other end. "I wouldn't have even gotten into a fight with your sister…my best friend if I didn't want to be with you."

"That was then." Is all she says; I hate this side of her. I can't blame her; however, she's not even hearing me out.

"I'm being real with you right now. I'm finally talking to you and that's all you're gonna say? Are you serious?"

"I have nothing to say to you, Carmen." She says inaudibly. "It's all screwed up and you're the reason. Point blank. Period." And with that, all I hear is silence. I check my phone and see that it's back at the home screen. She banged on me.

"Shit!" I throw my phone down on the lawn; the cover and battery pop out. "That's it. I'm done!" I storm off while Keys and Glen are trying to call me back to them; but their voices fall on deaf ears. Total 'kiss &make-up' fail.

I'm driving home now. Mad as hell, headache on blast, knuckles all bruised and cut. And to top it all off; I forgot my phone. 'Deuces' is on my Ipod right now. Things were much simpler when I didn't give a damn about a woman's feelings. I should just go back to the old me if the girl I'm in love with thinks I'm untrustworthy. Only part of me is feeling that way though. The other part wants to turn back around and sort all this out. Make Kyla understand where I'm coming from. Anger turns into guilt turns into self-pity; does she even deserve a girl like me? Of course, she does. Don't be a _tonta_. But, I am a fool. I'm here arguing with myself.

As the song goes off, I think about calling Ashley to tell her what just went down. I decide against it cause one; it's her little sister and her ex that's involved with it and two; I'm not going to ruin her weekend with Spencer. Why can't I have more courage with my boo like Ashley does with hers? Why did I lose my cool and yell at the girl loves me? Like, I mean-

_"Why you being a dickhead for?_

_Stop being a dickhead."_

"Da fuck?" My thoughts are torn as I hear the lyrics to the next song. Why do I always have this thing on shuffle mode? I try to change it, but there's a cop car on the driver's side. I put my hands in the '10 & 2' position & give him a bubbly smile. He nods and keeps driving. Kiss my ass, pig.

_"Why you being a dickhead for?_

_You're just fucking up situations."_

I know I am. Jeez, shut up! Damn my affinity for white British chicks with soulful voices. I finally get to it and change it to Doctor P's Tetris dubstep. I arrive at my house 10 minutes later. All by myself; no one with me and no one waiting for me; how pathetic is that? Back at square one, Sanchez.

I take a shower; a cold one. I let all the raging heat out of my body. I must've stayed like that for a half-hour. I'm not sure when tears started to fall though; I know I just wanted them to stop. I'm not the crying type. Last time I cried, it was because I heard my own mother crying after she told my pops she wanted a divorce and was moving here with me. I was 12. So much sorrow during that time; I didn't think I would let another feeling like this get to me.

I get out the shower and dry off. I clean my injured hands with peroxide; I want to feel the sting. I need something to replace the pain I'm feeling in my torso area. She's right; I'm the one to blame. I put some Neosporin on it and lay down on my bed; messing up my pillow sheets with my damp hair in the process. I close my eyes and all the suggestions of others swarm through my brain. I can't concentrate. I can just think about her. Is this what Ash meant when she told me what being in love was like?

Before I can contemplate about it any further, I see my sketch book right in front of me. I rise up and look through it; almost half of it is filled with unfinished pictures of Kyla. The only one that was finished is now on the Orisha altar. This is a test…it has to be a test..from HER. I need to pass with flying colors if this gift is going to work. I throw on some ball shorts, a t-shirt, and some flip flops quickly; I grab my keys off the counter. I'm almost out the door, but I forgot to grab something. I walk to the altar and grab the yellow & amber beaded necklace.

"Oshun, be with me." I pray; I kiss the necklace and put it on. It's time to talk to Kyla; face to face.

I've been waiting. For about an hour now. At Ash & Kyla's place. I know what you're thinking. Carmen, how the hell did you get in? Didn't you give your key back to Ashley? Well, I made an extra copy for myself which I keep in the compartment. I'm not stupid.

I already watched a Man vs. Food episode and dried my hair the rest of the way; of course it's frizzy. My hair isn't naturally straight like everybody thinks. I hear the keys jingle in the door and my heart jumps in excitement. What am I? A puppy?

The light shining from the streetlights hits her face. She looks wound up and unsure. I don't like this at all. I want to hold her and tell her this whole night was a mistake; that it will be better from this point on. Only if she let's me though. I get up from the seat to turn the light on and Kyla hears the movement.

As I reach the lamp, I feel a rush of air sweep near my face. "Ahhh!" I jump back. What the hell?

"Get the fuck out my house!" She shrieks and swings again; I duck just maybe, waiting in the dark for her was a bad idea.

"Whoa! Shit! Kyla, wait! Wait, wait, wait!" I hold my hands up to protect myself; she stops in mid-swing as soon as she recognizes my voice.

"Carmen?" The light comes on and fills the whole room.

"Um, surprise?" I say awkwardly.

She heaves out a sigh and puts the back down. "Carmen, what are you doing here? Do you know I could've killed you just now?"

"I know. You were in you're A-Rod bag for a second there." I chuckle a little to lighten the mood. I clear my throat. "I wanted to talk to you; face to face."

She runs her fingers through her hair while still holding the bat with her other hand. "How did you get in here? Did you break in?"

I furrow my eyebrows in defense. "No! I made an extra key. Now, can you put the bat down, please? You're making me more nervous than I already am."

"Of course, you did." She replies flatly. The bat falls to the floor with a clink. "You could've at least turned a light on." She mutters. Point taken.

"Yea, but it was a surprise. I even parked my ride up the block." She arches an eyebrow at me. "Can we sit down, please? I came here to apologize for everything."

"Talk." She commanded. She's still standing with her arms folded. This is going to be tough.

"Ok…I'll start with the most recent." I decided to stand with her. "I apologize for losing my cool and yelling at you. That was uncalled for. I just didn't like the fact that you weren't taking what I say as the truth. I mean have I ever lied to you?"

She looks away. "Not that I know of." She presses her lips for a moment. "How was I suppose to feel, Carmen? This whole week; no calls, no texts, glimpses of you coming or going to school. Then, I see you tonight..with your ex. "

"She was never my ex." I state quickly. "Kyla, you're my first girlfriend. Ever. That counts for something. A whole lot of something; believe me."

"You know it's hard to believe you knowing you and my sister's track record, Carm. I've seen first hand how you two have handled women that thought they meant something to you. But, those women were either a game or a secret."

"And you're neither, hadita." I reach out to touch her face. I need to feel her. I can't believe I went a whole week without seeing Kyla; it must be the reason I drew so many pictures of her.

Kyla grabs my hand before I'm able to touch her; she takes the other one and examines both closely. "What happened to your hands?" She asks quietly.

I wait until she's looking back up at me; I want her to know I'm not lying. "Exactly what I said happened."

"So Glen and Keys weren't lying to me."

"_¿Qué qué?_"

She drops my hands and walks over to the couch; I follow suit. "They told me what happened tonight."

"They did? Everything?"

"Pretty much. I saw Jonica's nose, too, it's definitely broken."

"Good." Jonica knows better now. I'm from Jersey, we don't play that shit.

She sighs heavily. "I didn't wanna listen at first cause I was so infuriated, but they ended up trapping me into a corner." She admits with a slight giggle.

"Gotta love their tactics." I laugh nervously; don't know if I'm in the clear yet. Remind me to thank them and to ask if one of them picked up my phone. I hope it's not wrecked.

"Yea… why did you punch the wall near Kelly's head? That's the only thing I don't fully understand."

"Instead of actually punching Kelly's head?" I smirk.

There's a hint of a grin playing on her lips. "That would've been too easy to please me if you did."

"Damn." I snap my fingers in jest; she tries not to smile fully on my response. "The reason was because she couldn't get it through her head that I wasn't gonna want her in anyway shape or form ever again. Even, if I wasn't with you; I would never go back to that." I rub my temple. "Also, because she told me that she talked to you at the club that night."

"That she did." Kyla's face hardens. "So, I guess none of that's true then."

"No. It's not. Everything that spews out of her mouth is a lie, Kyla." I turn to her and stare at her. "But, I gotta ask…is that the reason why you were acting so weird..when..we were about to…"

"Pop my lesbian cherry?" She asks with a slight blush.

"Yea….not that I didn't want to…"

"Well, you could've fooled me." She sits back on the couch; we don't say anything for a minute. "She was part of the reason." Kyla admits shamelessly. "What she said got under my skin and I needed to make sure that you weren't going anywhere. "

"You don't have to hold me with your body; just hold me with this." I point to her heart and she bites her lip with uncertainty. "Our connection is much deeper than the physical, Kyla."

"Really? Cause you're a sexual person, Carmen." This is true. I'm not a nympho though..much.

"That may be…but, do you really think I want your first time with me to be after a party where we're both sweaty and drunk?"

"But, you were all for it until I told you I was in love with you." She points out.

"Because shit got real as soon as you said it. Mami, I don't want it to be pure lust; I don't want it to be rushed or forced. I want your first time with me to be the opposite of that. There has to be some romance and passion in it…which is something I never done before and for that, I was afraid."

"You sure it's not another reason in there, too?" Patience, my little pixie, patience.

"Yea, there is. But I won't go into a whole movie monologue about; I'll just be straight up." Kyla waits in expectation as I get up suddenly. "You know my past, Ky. You know what type of fam I came from. The honest-to-God reason was…I'm afraid you'll hurt me in the end when it's all said and done."

"Why?" She asks with distress in her voice; I don't answer her. "Carmen?" She gets up and puts a soft hand on my cheek.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't contact you. It was hard on me, too, I swear. I just needed time to accept-" My eyes get cloudy and my mouth gets dry. Don't punk out now, Sanchez.

"Accept what?" Kyla asks; I gaze into those chocolate eyes of hers. Just say it, punk!

"That…I love you." I confess in a bare whisper. Time stops as far as I'm concerned. Kyla's mouth drops open and her eyes dilate like I've grown an extra head. I didn't though, I just grew a heart.

"Wh-" Kyla pauses. "What did you just say to me?" Her chest starts to heave up and down.

I grab her hands to calm her and put them on my chest; I know she can feel that organ pumping double time. "I said: 'Kyla Woods, _estoy enamorada de ti'._" I repeat; this time with more confidence. She says nothing; just stares in disbelief. Maybe, I should've just said it in English, but Keys was right about me using Spanish more when I'm emotional.

"I…I love you, too." Kyla replies; beaming

"I'm aware of that." I smirk playfully. I lean in and capture her lips with mine. My eyes and heart flutter at the contact. How did I go this long without her kiss? Damn. I feel like a heavy family heirloom-type weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

We haven't stopped kissing. Each one getting more hot and heavy than the next. I don't know who moved who moved who. I just know my legs made contact with the couch and both Kyla and I plopped right down on it. Hands all over each other; legs getting intertwined. "I've missed you." She admits; looking up for a moment. "I've missed this."

"Me, too, baby." I give her a deep kiss. "Me, too."

I feel her fingers go under my shirt. "Let's never do that again."

"Never." I agree while kissing on her neck; my hands stroke her hair and back.

"I'm sorry for-"

"I know, it's ok. Me, too." I interrupt her as I bite down on her neck. I want to mark her again. After the shit that both Jonica and Kelly pulled; I want these chicks out here to know she's taken for.

Her fingers reach my bare breasts and she realizes that I have no bra on. Instead of touching it like I thought she would; she does the exact opposite. "Wait! Hold up, hold up!" She says as she leans off of me.

"What? What's up?" I ask; a bit troubled. I thought everything was cool now.

"I just wanna know…who else knows that…?" She lets out a laugh and shakes her head.

"I'm in love with you." I finish the sentence smiling

"Yes." She gives me a quick kiss.

"Everyone in our queer little circle now, I guess. My mom, for sure….even, Kelly." Her attention perks up when I say that. "Now, she knows she has no chance in hell with me because of you."

"So, why am I the last to know?" She does the head-neck roll humorously.

"Isn't it obvious? I saved the best for last." I grin widely. I go in for another kiss; instead, she stands up and holds out my hand. Awww, I need my kiss quota back up.

"I think it's time for me to take a quick shower."

"Um…ok." I think she smells fine, but whatever. "Can I watch?" I ask hopefully. Did I mention I still haven't seen Kyla fully naked?

"No.." She smiles shyly. "But, I would like for you to wait for me in my room."

Oooh, I like the sound of that. "I'll follow your lead then." We walk hand in hand up the stairs; something tells me I should prepare myself.

15 minutes have passed. I've been alternating between sitting on the bed and pacing round the room. I'm nervous. Why am I nervous? I'm just in the room of the woman that I love about to do…God knows what. I just hope that it's a heavenly experience for both of us. Shit; my hands are shaking. Pull it together, Carm. You already told the girl you love her and that was the hard part. "Music. Music will help." I say to myself. I go to her Ipod stand and look through her folders; one in particular catches my eye. "Meeting in my bedroom?" I open it up and there's at least 40 different songs on here. The first one being 'Meeting In My Bedroom' by Silk. "She's out of pocket for this one." I chuckle as I go through the list and find an artist I like. "Oooh, Nina Sky; haven't heard them in awhile." I hit play and lay down on the bed; patiently waiting on Ms. Woods.

"You're not asleep, are you?" Kyla's voice cuts through the music. I look towards her direction and my eyes widen. Kyla hasn't changed into any night clothes yet; she's still wearing her towel. A few beads of water is still dripping from her body. My night is looking up.

"Uhh….no." I stammer; what is going on with me right now? "I was just resting my eyes." Then my eyes travel down her frame. "It's been a long day."

"I know. It has." She walks over to me and lays down with me; her towel loosens up some and I bite my lip. "I hope you don't think it will be a short night though."

"What do you have in mind?" I ask; I look down at where the towel ends; her thighs look so toned and creamy. The thought of them wrapped around me was something I just couldn't shake out of my head.

"I'm pretty sure you can guess." She replies in a seductive tone, but something in her body language is still bashful. All of a sudden, Kyla gets on top and straddles my hips. "I was wondering…if you were up for it…"

"If...?" I know what she's trying to ask me. I rub her thighs with my thumbs for support; however, it just makes her more on edge.

She exhales; her browns meet my grays. "If you wanted to finish what we started the other night."

"Hmm.." I pause for a moment while she anxiously waiting for my answer. Decisions, decisions. "You don't even to ask, Kyla." I smile mischievously. I mean seriously, who in their right mind would turn her down…twice.

"Nope." She smiles back the same. Kyla lets the towel drop from her body and so does my jaw. How can I put this to you, people? Every curve, every contour of hers is in my memory box from this point on. Her hips are womanly; I was getting tired of fucking skinny chicks anyway. Everyhing's a bit plump on her; including her nicely shaved pussy area. Better to go with no hair, ladies. Easier to find stuff and there's more feeling. Her lips poke out a bit like they're saying: 'Come, kiss me, already!' I'll get to you Kyla's labias, don't worry. Sheesh! Part of me doesn't even want to touch her; as if she's my own personal Mona Lisa. "No offense; but you not saying or doing anything right now is freaking me out some." She adds half-jokingly. Damn, how long was I staring?

"Sorry, baby, I just never seen you this…" Don't look at her _toto_! Don't look at her _toto_! "exposed before." What do I do? I look at it. Fuck me. No seriously, fuck me, Kyla. Like right now.

"Well?" She asks with a tense expression.

_"Sittin' here anticipatin', got my body waitin'_

_Wantin to exchange my love for yours. Ooh!_

_You make me scream harmonious melodies._

_Our souls combine creatin' symphonies."_

"_Eres tan hermosa_, Kyla." I say truthfully; my hands slide from her thighs to her belly as she grabs me by my neck. In a flash, they go to her breasts as she assaults my mouth with hers. Our hips crash into another as we kiss. I need to take these freakin ball shorts on; they in the way right now. Kyla must've thought the same thing cause she lifts herself up so I can get to them. I shimmy out of them while still sitting down. Don't ask me how. I don't know. It's the power of the vulva, my friends. Not mines; hers.

"I love you, Carmen." She breathes out on my lips. How did she go from minx to mush in five seconds?

"I love you, too, Kyla." I breathe back. Not gonna lie; I was just gonna say 'mhm' or 'ditto' cause I'm horny now and I want to get it in. But, this is about Kyla. Not just me, me, me.

"It's just now I'm a bit nervous cause I'm sober and I never; well you know…" She rambles as I kiss her neck.

"I know, baby."

"I mean, we can take it slow, right?"

"Nice and slow." I reply with a wink; she takes my shirt off over my head and she sets her gaze on my upper half. She presses her lips together trying to calm her excitement.

"And you'll tell me if you want it a certain way or if you don't like something I-"

"Kyla!" I interrupt her rambling as her cheeks turn pink. "Relax, you'll be fine. Practice makes perfect and I do not mind practicing with you. Alright?" I turn her over gently and rest myself on top of her.

"Ok, Carm." With that said, our tongues start battling for dominance as we kiss; each one longer than the last. I pull her bottom half closer to mines as she wraps her legs around my waist. I do a small grind into her as she pinches one of my nips. "¡Ay! You love doing that, don't you?"

"I just like how quickly they get hard with the piercings in them." I know what else is hard. My clit is practically exposed over the hood as I rotate my hips into her center. She's already wet; I feel it against my skin. She exchanges her fingers for teeth and nibbles playfully. It just makes me go faster. "_Tu me vuelves loca, _Ky." I confess.

She musters up a faint 'mmmhmm' as the feeling of us rubbing our 'womans' together gets to her. Her breathing get heavier as does mine. I need to slow it down for her cause I'm starting to hump her like a dog in heat. Chill! It needs to be the other way around; I want her to lose control.

"Spread your legs, hadita." I murmur in her ear. She hesitates at first; then spreads 'em out slowly. I don't take my eyes off of her as I part her lips open. She gasps as soon as my middle finger gets to the opening. "Wow. It's like a rainfall down there, huh?" She's so warm and smooth."

"Carmen, don't tease me." She whimpers as I put my middle finger in some and then take it back out. She's tighter than I imagined. Are kegel exercises a part of yoga and pilates, too? "Mmm…"

"I'm just testing the waters, baby." Her hips start to rock into me; trying to gain more contact. "I thought you wanted it nice and slow." I mock.

"I do, but…oooh." She stops mid-sentence as my ring finger prods her ever so slowly and gently; my own center is burning up by the feel of hers in my palm.

"Well, you can speed up a little." She takes her hand and pushes my fingers the rest of the way; we both let out a low groan at the touch.

"Fuck." I smile widely. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Me neither." I thrust in and out of her at a more appropriate speed. "Is that better?"

"Mmm, yea, just like that." She breathes out as I lower my tongue on to her breasts; switching from one to the other. "Baby, what are you doing to me?"

"Exactly what you wanted." I give each of her nipples the same amount of time with the base of my tongue, the sides of my tongue as well as the tip. I want her to have a preview of what's to come soon.

"Shit, Carmen, your fingers…ah!" Again, I guess she really can't really finish her sentences. Whoops! I start pumping in and out harder; listening to her body react. You know what type of listening. *side-eye*

"You liking it, baby?" She doesn't answer right away; I step it up a notch by using my thumb to rub her clit. "How bout now?"

"Oh, yes, go faster." I do as she commands and work double-time on her. "Don't stop, baby."

"I got you." I reply confidently. I'm so based right now. Pause! Remind me never to say 'based' again; I've been in Cali too long. Her hips start to buck up and I feel her walls tighten up around my fingers. Even though, this is her first sexual experience with a female. I feel more like a virgin than she does. I've never thought that she would make me do it this way; with such ease and tenderness. Then again, I didn't know a lot of things would go down this way, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm in love with Kyla Woods. "I want to taste you." I demand on her lips; her eyes widen a bit at my assertiveness. "Can I taste you, Kyla?"

"Umm…Y-yes." She stammers; she shakes her head at her awkwardness. I shoot her a roguish grin as I leisurely take my fingers out of her. I lift up off the bed and drag her gently by the legs. "What are you doing?"

"I need you right here." I drag her until her butt reaches the end of the mattress and stop. I kneel down on the floor. Kyla's wearing a surprised expression on her face. Ooh, I'm bout to turn her ass out. "You ready?" I spread her legs open and lock the visual of Kyla's wet pussy in the memory box, too. Her scent is overwhelming and it honestly makes mine swell up even more. I hope the taste is as good as the scent.

"Ohh, fuck. Mmmm…" That would be me not waiting for an answer and Kyla responding to my flat tongue lapping on her clit painfully slow. I let tongue my glide down to her opening and lick around the ring. Her hips rise up as she calls out my name and now my jaw is all wet. I hope she got some baby wipes in her drawer or something. What? Have you ever been out in public right after you just gave a girl head and forgot to wipe your face off? You look like an ashy bum until you do. "Damn, your tongue feels so good." Kyla praises as I plunge it in.

Her juices are on overflow and I'm lapping up every drop of it. She grabs hold of my hair as she whimpers. "_Me encanta tu sabor_, mami." I reply; I put her legs on top of my shoulders for better access. I come out from inside of her and encircle my tongue round her clit; clutching her thighs in the process.

"Suck on it, Carmen." Suck on it? Ooh, I didn't know she can dish out orders. I guess it's my duty to listen to do as she wishes. I place my lips on her hood; close the surrounding area. Pointy tongue, meet Kyla's clit. Kyla's clit, meet pointy tongue. "Oh, right there, mami." Whoa! First time she's called me 'mami'. First time for everything tonight. "I'm so close."

I flick my tongue at warp speed; never letting go the suction that my lip has produced. She's treating my face like a bronco ride right now and I could care less. I brush my tongue up against it few more times before I hear a loud "UH…." Then nothing. I can't hear anything because Kyla thighs are crushing my head in. It's not the first time that's happened to me, but it's very inconvenient cause you can't hear her coming. But I feel it. Boy, do I feel it. Every tremor, every wave, and even a little bit of squirting. Yea, I'm pretty sure I made Kyla Woods squirt. Why? Cause there's a giant-ass wet spot where her _toto_ just laid. We'll put some new sheets on when we get done. Whenever, that is.

"How was it?" I look up at her face; which is now all sweaty. She smiles lazily at me with her half-closed eyes and gives me a thumbs up. "Hold up. Did you just give me a thumbs up?"

She props herself up on her elbows and gives me a slightly irked face. "I just had one of the best nuts of my life and you expect me to fill out a survey or something?" She pulls me up off of my knees and on to her hot skin. Whoa! I am fucking drenched out this world down there. Pleasing a girl first always turns me on the most though.

"No.." I chuckle. "But, I do expect more than a thumbs-up. Make me an Italian club sandwich or whatever; I don't know. At least, it will re-energize me. " She shakes her head in amusement and plants a passionate kiss on my lips. "What was that for?"

"For finally accepting what you've been feeling all along for me, Carmen. Thank you." She says sincerely; my heart flutters. I'm turning into a such a softie.

"Don't mention it." I say nonchalantly; although, she sees right through me. We stay in each other arms for a while.

"Carmen?" Kyla asks with an ambiguous tone. Great; she's gonna get more sentimental on me. I'm still a newbie at this.

"Yes, babe."

She hesitates at first; then sighs deeply. "Can I, like, eat you now finally cause I've been wanting to do it for a really long time. Like super long."

I crack the hell up at her request. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that." She snickers a bit. "Hmm…I don't know..I don't wanna wear you out on your first night." I add half-jokingly.

"It's just.." She kisses my neck. "you know…" She gently bites my right nipple before she travels to my navel. "I've been…" She does a figure-8 around my navel before she reaches my thighs. "Practicing." She gazes at me before she leaves passion marks on the inside of my them; now, I'm marked.

"Word?" Is all I can muster up to say. I've become a pile of lesbian liquid lust now.

"And you said it yourself; practice makes perfect." That's the last thing she says as she dives right in to my wetness. I moan without meaning to do it so soon. What? She caught me off guard, dammit. Her tongue feels tentative at first on it before she gains more momentum. I curse out in Spanish once she lays her mouth on my labias; her nibbling and sucking make me hold her head in place instinctively. "How am I doing so far?"

"Fuckin great, hadita.." She probes her tongue in and out of my hole for a few moments before going back to my clit. "Just keep…_coño…_doing… everything." Jeez. I knew she would be good with full lips of hers, but I didn't know her tongue was that limber.

"Just tell me if you want me to change it up." She grins brightly; it could just be my juices all over her face? Why am I this wet this soon? She continues to attack me in the most pleasurable way. I feel her moan into me and her humming sets me off. "Mmm, right there. Don't stop." I know I should slow down and enjoy her skills, but I'm getting too heated too quickly. "Kyla, use your fingers, mami." She obeys my wishes; but decides to tease me first. Fuck that! "Nooo. _Metémelos, _Ky_._" I call out as I glide her fingers in. I hear her giggle, but nothing more. The pleasure of her fingers pumping in and out wildly. I know her eyes are on me; watching my chest heave up and down, watching my lower parts wind to the movement. I can't see her though cause my eyes are rolled up inside my skull. Her tongues presses against my clit firmly as she curls her fingers up. Fuck! I don't even have to tell her now. It's like she instinctively knows. Uh-oh! I feel that familiar tingling sensation and I immediately lock up. No, no no, no, NO! It can't be this soon. "Kyla..hadita.." I try to get her attention, but she's too in the zone. She holds on to my thigh as I hold onto her head. The vibration from her tongue does the same to my insides and from this point on; I'm so far gone.

_"¡Ya voy! ¡Ya voy!_" I scream out as my body shakes uncontrollably for a few seconds; then it just goes the limp. Oh my god! Get the fuck outta here! Are you serious? And my girl is still going like the champ she is. "Kyla, Kyla. Stop, stop, stop." I order her; I gently push her off of me.

"What? What?" She asks panicked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Um, no." She gives me a perplexed look as she rises back up. "Well.. depends on how you look at it." I hide my face in shame. Please..you out there! Yes, you! Don't you fuckin dare tell anyone about this. You dig me?

"What happened? Were you close?" She ask hopefully; Kyla removes my hands from my face. "Why is your face so red?" I give her a look and let it simmer; I know she'll figure it out. "Did you? Holy shit!" She covers her mouth and stifles a giggle.

"Shut up." I sigh cripplingly.

"You came that quick?" I look away and nod my head reluctantly. "But, I just started on you and-"

"I know, Kyla." I ruffle my hair; this is some bullshit. "That's never happened to me before." I cut my eyes at the clock. What was that? Like 3 and half minutes? Maybe four? Daayyuuum!

"Sure, it hasn't." She slaps my arm playfully and gives me a quick peck on the lips.

"I'm serious. It just came out of nowhere, I guess." Do you know how much ass I have had over the years? This isn't supposed to go down like this; especially not with a first-timer. My pride is a bit bruised and Kyla sees that I'm genuinely humiliated by my…short comings that she ends up wrapping me in her arms.

"Hey, you know it's ok, right? I don't mind." She assures me; her fingers slide back and forth across my stomach. "Not at all." She accentuates every word by dipping lower with her fingers.

"Well, I do." I snap a little; she frowns and I immediately soften up. "I'm sorry. It's probably cause I haven't had any in a while, you know?" That and because Kyla surprised the hell out of 'little C'; where did she learn how to do that coil thing with her tongue?

"Carmen, we have all night." She points out; I look over to her and smile gladly. "And all day." She returns the smile while she kisses me passionately; tasting myself all over her. That's such a turn-on, also; no lie. "Just say the word when you're ready to go again."

"Don't worry, I'll be ready in a few minutes." I guarantee her. We make-out again and like clockwork, I'm on my 'bellaca' tip in no time.

"You know, it could just be that I'm that damn good." She smirks teasingly.

"Don't let it get to your head." I counter.

"I won't. I'll just let my head get to…" Her sentence trails as does her body back down mine.

"Round 2 now?" I finish. She answers with her mouth; but no words come out. That's my girl; straight to the point.

Then comes round 3…round 4…and so on…

I'm up now. Finally. Kyla is still knocked out. Ne-yo's 'Sexy Love' is playing softly in the background. Not sure what time it is and I don't care. I just know that it's sunny cause the shine is bringing out the features of Kyla's frame. I'm frantically stroking my sketch pad to get the shading of her sleeping form.

My chest swells up as I replay our night…and our morning. I shake my head at what happened at the party. All I can really do is sit back and laugh now…ok, maybe I'm still a bit pissed. But, for the most part, Kyla took my irritation away.

She starts to mumble in her sleep a little. The sheet slips off of her some as she turns over. I bite my lip at the sight of her bare chest; flashes of the past 8 hours come to mind. "Mmm…" Kyla stretches her arm to an empty side. Her hand feels out for me, but I'm not there. I smirk a bit at her annoyance. "Carmen?"

"Over here, hadita." I said as I finish the rest of the drawing. Perfect. I see those chocolate brown eyes of hers twinkle; I smile back at them with my own. "Did you think I ran out on you?"

"No." She gives me a cocky smirk; yet, I see a little doubt in her expression. "I didn't think so after the night we just shared."

"You better not have." I get up and sit on the bed with her. I lay a soft kiss on her forehead "So.." I let the sole word hang; I've never been known to still be at a female's house after we had sex.

"So…" Silence. "Not much of a conversationalist in the morning, huh?"

"Not really." I reply; somewhat embarrassed.

"How bout I start it off?" Kyla suggests; she sits up and gazes at me. "Last night, Carmen….last night was the turning point of our relationship." She touches my face and I lean into the feel of it.

"Yea, it was." I kiss her palm and she smiles sheepishly. "I loved every second of it." More silence. "Kyla, I meant what I said. Every word. It wasn't to get you...like this." I point at her tits and she giggles.

"I know it wasn't….still, it helped though."

I grin devilishly. "Glad I could be of service." I wrap her in my arms as she plops her top half on mines. "Easy, I'm still sore." I pout.

"Sore from what? You were the one that did all the beating." She points out. "Oh, and thank you again for defending my honor."

"I meant I'm sore from you." She shrugs nonchalantly and I chuckle. Seriously though, I should've stretched first. "And don't mention it, hadita. I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"Mhm. Just to see Jonica in throbbing pain?" She shoots back humorously.

"That and to prove that I actually do love you." That word is getting easier to say every time.

"Aww, don't get mushy on me all early in the morning. You're gonna make my heart puff up out my chest like in the cartoons."

"Fine. I think it's the afternoon though." I correct her.

"Whatever." She smacks me in my arm. "Are you gonna let me see?"

I roll my eyes wittily. "Ky, I think you've seen enough of my _toto_ for today."

"Not that. Jeez, Carmen. I meant what you were drawing."

"It's nothing, really. Just another masterpiece from yours truly." I reply boastfully. She grabs my sketchpad and bonks me on the head. "Hey!"

"Which page is it?" She asks; while flipping through it. She glimpses at the unfinished drawings of her mixed with some of my mother, Ash and Spence, Keys and Zah; even Glen and Nas. "Wow!" She stops on one particular. "This must be your best work. It belongs in a museum, baby." She announces in a sarcastic tone. She turns it around so I can see better and I bust out laughing.

It's a Kyla stick-figure with long hair and miniature circles for her boobs and booty; her hair is swept to the side and there's an arrow pointing to her crotch that reads: The Promise Land. "Ok, now that I've seen you fully naked, I should've made the circles bigger."

"You got that right." She agrees with a wink. She turns the page to see the one I just finished and her mouth drops open.

"You like it, mami?" Of course, she does. Why am I even asking? Kyla traces her fingers over the curves of the illustration; the same why I did while she was asleep before I went to draw it. I captured her beauty as well as her mystery. The mystery being why would she be with a chick like me? But, that's for me to discover.

"I love it." She declares softly. "I guess I'm your muse, huh?"

"Indeed, you inspire me, Ms. Woods." I wiggle my eyebrows. "Now, am I out of the doghouse with you?"

"You've been out of the doghouse, Ms. Sanchez."

"Yesss!" I exclaim. I flip myself on top of her and kiss all over her chest as she basks in the feeling.

"But, I do want to keep a leash on you sometimes; maybe during playtime." She lifts her head up and kisses my lips.

"Ooh, I didn't know you were into that dominatrix shit."

"I'm full of surprises." Her tongue flicks out onto my bottom one.

"Oh, word?"

"Word." She assures me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Well, in that case, maybe we should.." I don't finish the sentence as my mouth lowers itself on hers. She intertwines her leg with mine while her hand keeps my head in place. I palm her breast as my thumb brushes it on it. Her other hand tries to lift my shirt up, but can't because we're tangled up. Hold on, lemme get-" I lift up to take it off when the door opens up.

"Kyla, I'm home. How was your-" Ashley drops her bag at the scene in front of her and blinks a couple of times. Deja-fucking-vu!

"Hi, sis." Insert squeaky-toy voice here.

"Yo, A. How was your weekend?" I say casually as if I'm not on top of her little sister grabbing her titty. Inside, I have this strange fear she's about to go off.

"Uh.." Kyla cover herself up as I let go of her breast. Ashley blinks a couple of times. "Awesome. Spencer wanted to get back early cause we have school tomorrow; you know Spencer. But other than that; awesome."

"Awesome." Kyla repeats. Everything is just fucking awesome right now.

"Good." Awkward silence. Ash shakes her head to regroup. "I see you two made up."

We look at each other, then back at Ash. "Yea." Kyla answers with a blush; it's the only part of her face showing color. The rest of it has gone pale.

"That's good."

"Yup and my bad, A. This is **exactly** what it looks like this time." Both of the Davies sisters give me a 'Really?' look. I'm like 'What?' Personally, I take it as a good sign that it's ok since ash hasn't come over and tried to whoop my ass.

"Yeaaa….I figured as much, Carm." I grin widely; she just shakes her head in amusement.

"Well, I'm glad ya'll came to an understanding."

"Definitely did." Keys mutters under her breath; I'm pretty sure Ashley heard her though.

Ashley squints her eyes. "Hey, what happened to your hands?" I look at them and the knuckles are now blurple.

"I punched some smut bitch in the nose." I say all blasé.

"Who?" She says with interest.

"Jonica." Ashley does her nose-crinkle smile as soon as she hears her name.

"Nicely done." She nods her head like a proud parent. "We'll talk later. Ya'll can.." She looks at us with slight repulsion one last time. "carry on with what you're doing. I'm gonna go blind myself with mace for a couple hours."

"K." We both said carelessly as she shuts the door; we both start giggling like school-girls.

"I think that went pretty well."

"Are you kidding? For a second there, I thought she would bust your lip again?" Kyla counters.

"Getting some good pussy can change your whole outlook on life." I say honestly.

"I bet." We go back to our business before Kyla stops us again. "There's something I want us to do."

"Name it. Anything…as long as it doesn't involve a guy." I point; she playfully smacks my finger away.

"Not exactly." She replies with a naughty grin.

"What you mean 'not exactly'? Did you promise Glen a threesome? Cause if I was gonna have sex with a dude, it damn sure wouldn't be blondie bear." She gives me a flat face and pushes me off of her gently.

"Just go into the middle drawer and reach in the back."

"Ok ok. So demanding, hadita." I go to the dresser and reach in; just bras and panties. "What am I searching for?"

"Go to the right a little bit, you'll feel it." She instructs me. I do what I'm told and sure enough. I feel something solid and cylindrical to the touch…something vaguely familiar. "Don't worry, it's clean."

"No fucking way." I pull the item out the rest of the way and hold it up. It's a tan, 8-inch dildo; already attached to the strap. Probably 3 of my fingers in width. I know that I want to do this with her; hell, I've had fantasies about it. But, I didn't think she would want to go there so soon; if at all.

"Yes fucking way." She smiles seductively. "Put it on, Carmen."

"What? Right now?" I say shocked.

"Yes. Right now." She crawls to the end of the bed; fully exposed now.

I do an audible gulp. "You sure? I mean cause…your sister's in the next room."

She folds her arms. "Don't tell me you punking out on me just cause she's here now."

"Whaaat?" I flag her; she arches an eyebrow and I put it on hastily; it doesn't take me long to adjust it. "Fine." I go over to her; deliberately strutting my 'stuff'. "You satisfied now?"

Kyla licks her lips in eagerness. "Not yet."

"Be gentle with me." She grips me up firmly and takes me down.

Later all I hear is the bed squeaking, I hear Ashley pounding on the door, I hear music being turned up to block out the sound of Kyla and I moaning in bliss. More importantly, I hear my heart gorilla pounding through my chest at the sights, sounds and feeling.

Sorry, Ashley. This is Kyla's payback time.

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**End scene. ^_^ Long enough for you? Probably not. Lol! Thanks for reading and my apologies for the wait. Please review cause I honestly don't know what to do after this chap; I just know this story will be ending soon. I know, I know. I suck, right? But, every end has a new beginning. Now, to the sidenotes! ^_^**

**1. True Blood. Yes, yes, & more yes. How are ya'll liking it so far? Does anyone find it weird with all this supernatural stuff going on that no ghosts or zombies have shown up yet? Hmm, maybe next season. 2. Pretty Little Liars. That fashion show was a disaster at the end. And what's up with this Samara jawn playing with my Emily's emotions? :( It's cool though cause Maya's coming back soon. Other than that, the plot thickens on that show. 3. The Challenge: Rivals. Glad that it's back, but I was so sad to see Aneesa go so quick. :( Where the hell are Rachel and Veronica? Do they not do challenges anymore? 4. The Real L Word. Smh. This season is funny as hell in a classless, pitiful sorta way. Lol They should do an East coast or Midwest version of this show. 5. Yo, is anyone still keeping up with Degrassi? That private art lesson with Fiona & Charlie…yyeeessss! ^_^ I hope Adam gets a gf soon; one that doesn't care that he's a trans guy. 6. Any Torchwood fans? Just wondering. 7. I just got into these two shows: Shameless (U.S. version) & Misfits (It's like Skins with supernatural-ness). They're awesome. Check em out, if you like. 8. Any fans of soccer? Women's World Cup. U.S. did their thing this year. But, Japan took it all. Surprised the hell outta me. 9. Just how homo-erotic is Teen Wolf? I mean, really. Lol! Who's the alpha? 10. Did anybody catch the sneak peek of the new Jersey Shore season? Smh. I know I'm gonna hate myself for tuning in every week to watch it. ...I'm done (in my Chris Brown voice)**

**Translation time (Cuban Spanish): **_e'taba sucia, mija=_ It was dirty, my daughter; _Moros y Christianos_=Moors and Christians (Literally. I don't want to explain the history on that); _¿'ta toda bien?_= Is everything good?; _Todo entiya_=Everything's fine; _Ven ya, la jama se enfría_=Come on already, the food is getting cold. _Pues, dile a Oshun_=Then, tell her (as in tell Oshun); _cochina_=dirty or nasty (in a sexual context); _mujeriego_=Ladies' man or womanizer; _No me jodes=_Don't fuck with me; ¡_Vete p'al carajo!_= Go to hell (can also mean: Get the fuck outta here!); _estoy enamorada de ti_=I am in love with you_; Eres tan _hermosa=You're so beautiful; Tu_ me vuelves loca_=You drive me crazy; _Me encanta tu sabor=_I love your flavor; _Metémelos_=Put them inside of me; ¡_Ya voy!_=I'm coming

**Songs Used: Novacane by Frank Ocean; Rum and Redbull by Elephant Man; Dickhead by Kate Nash; Temperature's Rising by Nina Sky**

**Until next time, fanfictioners! *BLESSED BE* **


	26. Two of Hearts

**Soo…..A thousand apologies. :( I know you don't wanna hear my excuses, but I will say thanks to skinssssforlife for the most recent author alert, Wren28 for the most recent favorite author alert, R3dN0te for the most recent favorite story alert, jaybullette7 for the most recent story alert and ArmyStrong2010 for the most recent review. I snapped out of my daze I'm in and realize how long it's been. Smh. I fuckin hate my procrastinating ways. Let's get to it, shall we?**

* * *

**Spencer's POV**

"Ashley.." I sigh out breathlessly. "Come on.." My heart beat doubles as I feel her soft mouth trail down my neck. "Not now."

"What?" She asks innocently. Actually, she mumbled that. Her lips are steadily on my collarbone while her hands are going into overtime on my chest. "You've been studying for like two hours, Spence. Come on. Take a break with me."

I turn around in my seat with a smug face on. "What entails in this impromptu break of mines?"

"A light snack of yours truly." Her chocolatey eyes twinkle as she straddles me in the chair. "You know…" She takes off her shirt to reveal those abs that I love to make twitch during…well, you get the idea. "All work and no Spencer makes Ashley a horny bitch."

"Hmm, tempting." Ever since we got back from our trip, she's been insatiable. "But, I'm sure that giving my tongue and fingers a work-out on you will NOT get me an A on this final." So, I've been lagging behind on my work. Wouldn't you if you had her as a girlfriend?

"You already have your 'A' right here."

I roll my eyes. "Seriously, no more 'Pretty Little Liars' episodes for you. You're on probation."

"It's cool. I only watch it for Emily's scenes anyway."

"Fine by me. I only watch it for Spencer's scenes. I love the bookworm types." I retort playfully. Yes, I know we have the same name. As long as we don't call each others out, it wouldn't be too awkward to have sex with her. Ashley pouts for a second; feigning jealousy. "Ok, Emily, too..but only when she's with Maya." A few minutes pass as I look through my papers. Quite hard to maneuver around books and shit when you have Ashley in your lap though.

"So, why are you with me then?" She asks out of the blue; her fingers are entangled in my hair and my eyes flutter at the feeling.

"Mmmm…" I lean into it more as I take off my glasses. I've been hiding that from her, but she thinks I look super sexy in them. "Because you give the best head jobs."

"Say what?"

My eyes shoot open. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"So, I don't give the best head jobs then?" She raises an arched eyebrow at me.

"No—I mean Yes. You do give the best head jobs, but when I said it the first time, I didn't mean it in that context." Ashley holds in her laughter while I roll my eyes. "Just get your fingers out my head and let me focus."

"Yes, ma'am." She does as I say, but hasn't got up off of me yet. I pretend that she's not there and keep reading. Yea, right. I try to pretend cause I already took my fucking glasses off. Ashley keeps her gaze on me.

"Instead of studying me, you should study your music." I tease.

"I got that in the bag. I'm a natural at it." She counters. That she is, but I don't want to inflate her head even more so. "You didn't answer my question though."

"What's that?" I keep on looking at my notes until she lifts up my chin to make eye contact and throws the notes on the floor. Man, those brown eyes of hers look serious.

"Why are you with me?" She asks in a whisper.

"I'm with you because I'm with you. There's too many reasons to name. Just know that I love you for you." I really have a list, but at the moment my mind is not remembering any of it. I really need to do well on these finals. My answer doesn't satisfy her, but she takes it. "Why are you with me?"

"Because every day with you seems a little less difficult and a lot brighter than before." She declares with a serene expression. Awwww. Shit. Now, I feel that pang of guilt for not coming up with something better.

"Awww, you sound like a hallmark card." I mask that feeling with a chuckle, but she crosses her arms in offense. Should I be not be a little turned on right now by that?

"I'm serious, Spencer. You make me feel wanted for more than-"

"Your looks and your money?" I finish. I uncross her arms and kiss each of her knuckles. Is that a lesbian move? The whole kissing of the knuckles thing. It's like saying your fingers are so precious to me, I think.

"Yea. Exactly."

"Well, if I would've known you were a child of a famous rock star, I would've made it harder for you to get with me. My mom told me not to trust those types."

"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be." She does her nose-crinkling smile and I tilt my head in response. "Besides, your mom hasn't met me yet."

"That's cause I don't want her calling you a harlot or something and throwing you out."

"Is your dad that much of a pussy?"

"Sometimes, I think so." I sigh. Honestly, he's just always on his chill mode. He's the mediator of our family. Mom and I always have bumped heads. "Not like yours. Raife's cool." I met Ashley's dad a few days ago and we really grew on each other to the point where he said I could come over anytime. He thanked me for making Ashley an honest woman for once cause he was honestly getting tired of her shit.

"Nobody is like my dad. I don't know what I would do without him." She agrees. "But, seriously, I don't care. I wanna meet the parents that raised such a beautiful.." She kisses my cheek "caring and intelligent…" kisses the other cheek; my face muscles flex into a grin. "natural blonde." My grin drops into a 'really tho?' look as she continues. "Thank you for being a natural blonde cause these fake bimbos out here, I swear." I slap her thigh playfully, she giggles. "But, you know what I mean...I love you, Spencer."

"I know you do." What? I already said it earlier. I go in to kiss her, but she pulls back.. Uh-oh. "I love-" I begin to say, she holds up her hand.

"It's not that, baby blue." She smirks; reading my mind and whatnot. "If you don't want to deal with your mom for the summer…you can stay here.." She gives me a nervous look and bites her lip in hesitation "with me."

"You mean with you for the whole summer? Like sleeping right next to you?" The whole damn summer! Now, I know most of ya'll out there would be like 'uhh, hell yeah'! But, I honestly have to think about it. That seems just a tad too much. I mean the most days I've been here is 3 days; Ashley is talking 3 months.

"Unless you get pissed at me and I have to sleep in the guest room, then yes." She laughs; I laugh uneasily. A few moments pass us. "How bout we stop here.." Ashley suggests; sensing my discomfort. "You can let me know later."

"Sure." I say with a half-smile. "Later is good."

Ashley gives me the half-smile back. Damn. I don't like seeing her like this. I give her a firm kiss; she doesn't react to it at first. But after a few seconds more, I feel her hands on my face holding me in place. My hands shoot up her shirt to feel her tight stomach and I hear her gasp at the touch. "Fuck studying right now." She takes my shirt off in one swift motion; leaving me with my pink sports bra on. I planned to exercise after I studied, but having Ashley work me out is much better. I bite her lip as I reach up to her breasts; which she's not wearing, of course. Her moans echo in my mouth.

"You know, I think we should move this to the bed." I giggle. She rises up off me and leans back on the desk.

"Or…we can use this." She wiggles her eyebrows and pulls me up to her. I knock over my books as I lift her up. She laughs at my haste; I kiss her deeply.

"Or ya'll can use me." We turn to the voice and see Keys leaning on the door; grinning like the perv she is.

"Keys." We both say at the same time.

"Nice sports bra, S. Dot. What is that? Nike?" She walks in and sits on the bed; still grinning.

"Don't you even knock?" Ashley asks while tossing my shirt back to me; it doesn't do any good cause Keys has a faraway expression.

"I would've, but then I realized no one knocks in this place."

"Whatever, bitch."

"Seriously though, you need any help? Cause I'm here. I mean that's what friends are for."

"Shut up, Keys." I reply playfully. "I'm surprised you're not bothering Carmen and Kyla."

"Oh, I tried. They lock their doors now. Like how you have your sister barge in twice while your girl is on top of you? Who does that?" Keys cuts her eyes at Ashley; Ashley returns a flat expression. "Anyways, I think we need to do an intervention."

"For who?" Ashley asks. She and I sit on the other side of the bed. She lays her head on my lap, I instinctively begin to play in her hair. I'm always doing that if she's nearby; just like she always absentmindedly rubs my thigh when we're close…ok, maybe it's not that absent-minded.

"For Glen. Who else? Do you see me or Carmen pouring our hearts out right now?"

"No, but I see you fucking up my time with my girlfriend." Ashley counters. "I mean Glen is probably having a hard time because he sent that text to his mom declaring he likes dick, too, right?" She looks up at me. "Spence, didn't you say that he didn't hear back from her?"

"Actually, baby, He didn't send the text to our mom." Ashley furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "He was drunker than he thought. He actually texted his best friend from back home; Matty."

"Say what?" Keys interjects. "I thought G.C. had more control over his liquor not to drunk-text anyone; especially the wrong person."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Ashley frowns; I roll my eyes.

"I did tell you, but your head was somewhere else."

"Like Spencer's coochie." She shot me a wide-tooth grin.

"Keys, shut the fuck up." Ashley yells. "And never say 'coochie' in my presence again."

"Tell me it wasn't, Ash." Ashley and I shared a look; it was probably gonna end up there. "Cause I know my dome would be-"

"Anyways…" I cut in before Keys could say anything else

"Exactly." Keys replies smugly. Ashley sits up right after. I immediately miss the contact and I shouldn't. I hate this push/pull feeling I have. It's like I wanna be around her all the time and so does she, then at other times…it just seems too much.

"What happened with the best friend, Spencer?"

"He texted him back."

"And?" Keys urges on.

"Matty is a little homophobic, so he basically told Glen to lose his number. I thought he would tell you since you and him have become close friends." Keys shakes her head in disagreement.

"You're not hearing me, Spence. Your brother is out of it right now. He's not saying shit to me about anything." She flips her snapback backwards so we can see the seriousness on her face. "I think I know why…I stopped by his dorm yesterday and he looks horrible. Like his hair is curled-out; no gel, no faux-hawk. No angelic babyface. Just a scruffy-ass beard."

"Wait! Glen can grow facial hair?" Ashley asks with a mock-shocked expression

"That's him on the weekends." I deadpan. "That doesn't mean he's not ok. I mean he's told me he's alright. I believe him." Honestly, my brother and I are not open with sharing our feelings that much. Well, I am. He was there for me when I was trying to figure out whether to give Ashley a chance. But, he never shared with me how he was feeling about anything; he was always so blasé about who and what he was doing.

"Spencer, come on. He's not playing basketball, he was wearing vans; like no flip-flops in sight. And when I called him yesterday to help me in the shop, I heard 90s slow jams in the background. Today, it was old 90s rock. I'm talking grunge. He's seriously on one."

"Christ." I mutter under my breath. "It's about Nasir, isn't it?"

"Ya think?" Keys says sarcastically.

"Wait! They haven't made up yet?" Ashley asks; Keys and I shake our heads. "It's been like what? 3 weeks almost?"

"Pretty much. Of course, nobody has really noticed this cause we been in la-la lezzie land." Keys shrugs nonchalantly; I, on the other hand, am wearing a remorseful expression.. "I'm guilty of it, too. You know how hard it is for me to tear away from Zah? Even when we're at work, we sneak in the back and-"

"OK!" Ashley claps loudly. "So, what do you want us to do?"

"Not you, Wonder Woman. S-Dot here." She looks at me with all seriousness. "He's your brother. He'll probably let you in as to why he's being stubborn."

"What makes you so sure it's him?" I question her with my arms folded. "I mean can't you ask Zahra what's up with her cousin, Keys?"

"Look, she told me to stop asking her after the first few days; talking some she don't know what's going on with him. In fact, he hasn't even set foot in the shop." She checks her phone and makes her way to the door. "Yo, I got some errands to run. Maybe we can link up later for a movie or something. Anyways, I know that he may need you, Spence. So, for the love of gay, please get him back to normal." Keys chuckles a bit, but I know she's worried. It's upsetting that I haven't noticed this about my brother. I've just been enjoying Ashley. She leaves and it's noiseless in the room; well, except for the laughter of Kyla and Carmen next door. Ashley knows my whole mood has changed.

"You ok?" Ashley asks softly; she grabs my hands and holds them tenderly with hers.

"Not sure." I let out a sigh. "I should talk to him."

"You want me to drive you ?" I shake my head. "Or you can take my car? I don't have anything planned for today." Did I mention she lets me borrow her car from time to time? No? Yea, she's considerate like that. Carmen and Keys would say otherwise though.

"No, it's ok. I'll just-."

"I can call a cab." She offers; I pack my belongings in a rush. Ashley frowns slightly.

"I don't have enough money for that. They look at me strange when I pay by my debit card."

"I do." She grins; I look away. Of course she does cause she always pays for everything. I know she's doing it cause she got it and I'm a college student with no job whatsoever. I haven't had to dip into my savings since…well, I can't remember really.

"I have my own money, Ashley." The sharp tone in my voice doesn't go unnoticed.

"First, you say you don't have enough for a cab, now you saying you got it?" Ashley furrows her eyebrows in misunderstanding. She walks over to fiddle on her keyboard and mumbles to herself; mindlessly playing with the keys.

"No, what I mean is-"

"I know what you mean. If you don't want me to pay for everything, just say so. That's what you're implying, right?" She sits down; her back turned against me.

"Look, can we talk about this later? My brother is not acting like himself and I seem to be the last to know about it. Shit" I reply honestly. A little too honest.

She swivels in her seat and gazes at me with a stony expression. Great. Now, I know she's gotta be upset. I don't wanna leave her here angry at me. I open my mouth to speak, but she speaks before I get the chance to. "You're right, baby blue. I'm sorry." Her face now softened to a guilty pout." Well, that was easy. Carmen is right; she is whipped because of me. I inwardly smile at that. "Go ahead and talk with Glen. We'll just meet up later with you guys"

"Thank you, Ashley." I reply sincerely. I walk over to her and plant a kiss on her pouty lips; which turns into more than that where I'm again straddled on her. Like as if I don't have somewhere to be; there is no one else.. I swear I'm not gonna get out of this house if I keep this up. She seems to read my mind cause she pulls back first and lays her forehead on mine.

"You would tell me if there were other things bothering you, right?" Ashley asks timidly. Ashley doesn't do timid..often.

"…yes, I would." I'm not sure why I hesitated with the answer, but she accepts it with a nod.

"Good. I would to." She raises my chin up and my ocean blues meet her chocolate browns. She presses her lips on to mine one more time while digging her hands into my back pockets; cupping my cheeks forcefully. "Now, go before I lock you in here and fuck you senseless."

I bite my lip in response and lightly push myself off her. God, I love it when she talks to me like that. It's like she the only one that can release my inner slut. Yes, every good girl has one. "I'm going, I'm going." I back up as if Ashley is a lioness and I'm her prey. She laughs at my actions. "Call you later, baby."

"I know you will." She throws out as I leave. I hear her begin to play on the keyboard faintly. Jamie Foxx's 'She Got Her Own' starts emanating from the room and I grin. She has a funny sense of humor.

It doesn't take long to hail a cab around her area; I get in and tell the driver where to take me. Ten minutes into the ride, I realize I don't have my debit card on me to pay. "Fuck!"

"Is there a problem, miss?" The driver asks once he hears me curse.

"Uh…" I search my front pockets and pull out a 5-dollar bill. I don't know how the cabs systems here work, but in Chicago, they usually kick you out if you don't have enough. "I just.." His beady eyes are staring at me through the rearview mirror. I reach into my back pocket and feel more money; I pull out two twenties and a ten. "How did that?-Ashley." I reveal to myself. I stifle a laugh and shake my head in amusement. "Sneaky bitch."

The driver is still watching me with concern and annoyance. "Everything is fine, sir. I thought I left something back home." Home? Wait! What? Ashley's home. Not my home. I lean my head on the window watching the palm trees pass through my sight like my thoughts are.

*KNOCK-KNOCK*

Music is drowning out my incessant knocking. I've been at Glen's door for five minutes; just knocking. We each have a key to each other's rooms in case of an emergency. However, my first thought is that maybe he and Nasir talked and they're making up right now in the physical sense. Ok, gag, shudder and shake that feeling off. "Glen!" I call out. Nothing. All I hear is The Weeknd playing. Yea, he's going through it still.

"_Happiness exists when you don't know a thing. _

_So I hope you don't think this song is about you._

_And only I can now how close you came._

_But, baby, I'm a pro at letting go. I love it when they come and go."_

"Screw this." I take the key out and prepare myself to witness man-on-man love. Please, God, don't let me catch him in the act..again. That's how I found out he liked dudes, too. "Glen, I'm coming in." I announce. I don't see Glen anywhere. What I do see is a damn pig-sty; I mean more than usual. A bunch of pizza boxes, empty beer cans, ramen noodle cups, tissue..not sure if the tissue is from crying or other activities.

"_And it could've went so many ways. _

_So many ways it can go. _

_Cause ain't nobody feels the way that I feel when I'm alone."_

"What are you doing here, Spencer?" I whip around quickly to see Glen leaning on the doorframe; he throws me an intense look.

"I came to check on you." I answer honestly; he closes the door. He's not as scruffy as Keys put it, but his hair is not in his usual style; he has his natural curl. "See if you're ok.."

"What for?" He asks harshly. I'm a little taken aback. He puts on a brown hoodie and some white Chucks with black ball-shorts to "match". Yea, he's not giving a damn today.

"Cause.." I let the word hang as he starts to clean up the place. I'm not sure how to start this off. I clear my throat to get his attention "Have you heard from Matty since-"

"Nope." He cuts me off. "Didn't think I would either." He lays back on his bed. "He can suck a dick for all I care. Literally."

"Umm….ok." Brashness doesn't suit my brother, to be honest. But, I can tell he's deflecting. "Well, we should talk." I go to sit down on one of the chairs when I realize there's a used condom on it. What the hell? "Oh, my God! Ew ew ew!" I jump up and spaz out a bit while Glen's flat voice comes through.

"Before you ask, that's not mine." He cuts his eyes at me cause he knows I thought that first. Oh, like you wouldn't about Glen? Yea, exactly.

"Ok, that is fucking disgusting."

"Tell me about it. I saw his cum face. My roommate had some chick in here the other night. In fact, most of this leftover shit isn't mine and I refuse to clean it up. I'm gonna ask to switch rooms for next semester cause I can't live with someone that's messier than me." He sits up and scoots over; I take it as a sign to sit with him. We don't speak for a few moments.

"What's up?" I say in a cheery tone; then mentally slap myself cause I sound like an asshole.

"You tell me." He replies; Glen tilts his head. On me, I know it's adorable. But on Glen, it's kinda brutish. "You're the one breaking and entering in my room."

"Keys stopped by and said I should come talk to you."

"Of course she did." He lets out a cynical laugh; I scrunch my face. "It took her to bring you over here to see if I'm ok?"

"Well…"

"Well, nothing. You should've known something was up with me. We're twins." He gestures his hands back and forth between us for emphasis.

I roll my eyes. "Glen, that twin mind-reading shit only works in the movies. Come on."

"Oh yea? Well, how bout barely hearing from you in the past few weeks? We live in the same dorm hall, Spence."

"I haven't been around like that, Glen."

"Of course, you haven't. You've been shacking up with Ashley so much, I barely see you." He gets up from the bed. "When we came here, we were supposed to stick together. Remember? Not let anything bad happen to us. Tell us when we should quit while we're ahead."

"What are you talking about Glen?"

"I'm talking about Nasir." The Weeknd song ends in the background. Paramore's Decode comes on. Really though? Oh, man. Glen scratches his head and I see his matching blue eyes get dimmer. "I don't know what to do with him." I wait a moment to see if he'll speak again cause he's just now opening up and I don't wanna rush him. "Well?" He asks impatiently.

"Well, what?" I shake my head at my response. I suck at comforting my brother cause I never had to do it. It was always me. I try to rack my brain for a question I can ask him to get him talking more. "Wait, have you even spoken to him since…?"

"Since our argument at his parent's house?" He shrugs. "Yes and no. I mean, you know me, Spence. At first, I said fuck it for like 10 whole days. I wasn't gonna call him. I was gonna wait for him to call me and say don't worry, habibi. We'll work this through. Don't worry about my parents and shit. I love you." He says mocking Nasir's voice.

"And that's not what happened?"

"Nope. Never called. So I broke down and apologized for not being considerate and he was like it was cool, but he didn't sound cool, he sounded like he didn't care about any of it. Of us." Glen frowns and I see his eyes water, I immediately feel bad for him. He turns away from me and continues. "He rushed me off the phone that day; saying he had to help his dad. Now, every time that I call him, he's either busy, like he says two words to me and that's it. Other times, he just sounds annoyed that I'm calling."

"Do you know why he's so busy?"

"No, I don't. And it worries me. What if he's seeing another guy behind my back. Like one who is fine with his situation. I don't know if I can take him cheating on me, I'm in love with him, Spencer." His voice quivers and I rapidly get up to embrace him. I hug him tight. I feel so bad for my brother; knowing that I wasn't there to console him.

"Glen, it will be ok. Maybe Nasir really is busy or he's trying to figure out how to tell his parents, you never know." I pat him on the back. Nasir better be busy or else, he'll answer to me. I know. I sounded more convincing when I talk to myself in my own head.

"I know and that's the problem. It's the waiting. The uncertainty." He replies quietly. "That's why I've been here in my room; preparing myself."

I'm a bit troubled at his words. "Preparing for what?"

He sighs and shoots me a gloomy smile. "Preparing for the let-down." I look down. Gah, this is depressing me a bit. A part of me wishes that I could be hugged up with Ashley right now and not hear any of this. But, that's selfish; my brother needs me right now.

"You hungry?"

The corner of his lips turn up some. "You know it."

"Well, let's head to the diner down the road. And then, I can bust your ass on the courts."

"Yea, yea, ye-hold up! You still have money on your card?" He asks shocked.

"Yea? Don't you?"

"Hell no! I blew that the first month and a half." He opens up the door to let us out. "Of course, we can't all have rich, rock-star girlfriends like you, gold-digger." He adds mockingly.

"You know me. No broke bitches are smashin this." I retort; he busts out laughing.

"Nice. Who taught you that? Keys?"

"Kyla, actually."

"Whatever. Let's eat. You're paying."

Famous Dave's Diner

I send a text to Ashley to tell her that we're at the diner right now. I plan to hang with Glen, but I do miss her. She says let's all go to the movies and hit a bar up later. I text her back that I'll ask him. That'll probably get him to stop thinking about Nasir.

"Can I have a grilled chicken Caesar salad with light ranch dressing and cranberry juice?" The waitress gives me a head-nod.

"And what would you like, sir?" Sir? Must be the facial hair. And the fact that the girl is like 14, at most.

"Hmm…" Glen rubs his scruffy-ass chin in thought. "I'll have a double bacon cheeseburger, cheddar fries with ranch on the side, chocolate milkshake and a cherry pie, please. Oh and could you start me off with water?"

I give Glen a sideways look. "Glen, that's like 1,000 calories at least. You sure you want all that?"

"God! Woman, let me gorge my life away right now." He demanded in an amusing tone.

The waitress looks at the both of us and leaves to place the order. "I just wanna feed my face. I've been living off of tuna and Ramen noodles for a week."

"I told you not to get the block meal plan, but you wouldn't listen to me." I say checking my phone to see if I got any more texts. Just her putting '8-3-1.' and a kissy face.

"What she say?" Glen asks before he snatches my phone.

"Hey!" I reach over, but he's swifter than me.

"8-3-1. What the fuck does that mean? Code for bondage sex or something?" Cue eyeroll.

"No, she's more romantic than you." I smile and tilt my head at the meaning. "It stands for 8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning." Glen just blinks. "It means I LOVE YOU, dumbass."

He grimaces and tosses my phone back. "That's gay. At least Kyla has some sexy pics of Carmen in her phone."

"Fuck you." I do have sexy pics. I just upload them to my laptop so Glen won't ogle at them.

"Speaking of fucking. I haven't had sex in over 3 weeks, that's like a new record." He says in a low voice.

I do a slow clap. "Congratulations."

"So, that means I gotta live vicariously through you. Spill."

"I'm not spilling anything about what goes on between the.."

"legs?" He wiggles his eyebrows.

"**sheets**" I interject. "with Ashley."

"Oh, come on, sis. We were practically joined at the hip before her."

"Glen, we were born 2 minutes apart."

"And since I was born first, you must listen to your older brother and tell me what you been up to so much with her." He grins triumphantly. Glen and his damn first-born clause.

"We've been doing everything together; not just sex." I reply truthfully.

"But, it's still a lot of sex, right?"

I flag my brother. "Yea, Glen, sure." I answer nonchalantly.

"Awesome. So, when are you gonna have her meet mom and dad?"

"What makes you think she wants to?" I already know why, but I wanna see what Glen knows about it.

"Cause Kyla told me that Ashley told her that she wanted to meet our parents and thank them for a woman like you. Some sappy shit like that."

"She said that, huh?"

"Yea, that's what I heard from the grapevine." Our food comes and Glen dives right in. I look at my salad; wishing I got something a bit more filling. I haven't eaten since last night and my energy was depleted. And by depleted, I mean I had Ashley bent over as I fucked her with Ms. Brightside; our strap-on with a smiley face at the end. Ashley thought of the name, of course. Her being a Killers fan. Oh, I'm so glad she has a large mirror in front of her bed. "Spence….Spencer!"

"Huh? What?" I snap out my little memory.

"Daydreaming about her, huh? You little whore."

"Yea." I say sheepishly. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" I take a sip of my lemonade to cool me down.

"I asked if you wanted a piece of my burger and a little bit of the pie." Glen holds out his burger.

"Nah." I look at my pathetic-ass salad. I kinda want some of his, but I don't want to be greedy. "I'm ok."

"Nah, it's cool. You can have a piece."

"Well, if you insist." I take a small bite…or at least, what I thought was small. "What?"

"Damn, whore, I said a piece! Not half of my fucking burger!" He pouts and I cackle while chewing; which is hard. Believe me.

"I'm cutting some of the calories out for you." I shrug and go back to my salad. Taste like cardboard compared to the burger. "Hey, can I have some of your fries?"

"No way!" He exclaims.

"Bitch, gimme some of the fries." I demand with a dirty look. He sucks his teeth and passes them over to me reluctantly. Being with Ashley has made me voice my desires out more. That's a plus. "I should've got this instead."

"Tell me about it." He replies flatly. We eat in silence for a bit until Glen speaks up. "I wanna tell mom about myself. Like face to face." I stare at him in shock.

"Seriously?" He nods his head vigorously. "I thought that was a drunk mistake."

"A mistake to do it drunk and through a text, yes." He said sheepishly. "But, the reasoning was there."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, here I am being mad that Nasir can't be honest with himself with his parents and I'm not even out to mom yet." He has a point; he looks down remorsefully. "Besides, I should've done it when mom found out about you. You shouldn't have been alone in this."

I shoot my brother a slight smile at his apology. I was upset with him at first when my mom found about me..but, I understand why he didn't. "I'm proud of you, Glen, for coming out in a more logical way."

"Yeah, if only I can make things right with Nasir, so I won't be the only one with a date."

"What are you talking about? When and what date?" I play with my salad with a sideways glance.

"I think she should meet them when we go back home in a few weeks. What do you think?" I shrug my shoulders and take a forkful of Glen's pie; Glen scrunches his face in annoyance. "You're afraid for her to meet them? Well, mom, specifically."

I bite my lip. "Wouldn't you be?"

"Hell, yea!" He exclaims.

"My sentiments exactly."

"But, I'll be there for you." He grabs my free hand in comfort; I look down and exhale a heavy breath. "What's wrong, sis?"

"Ashley wants me to live with her this summer." I rub my forehead; my brother gives me a blank stare.

"And? Is there something I'm missing? Cause it seems to me that living in a plush beach house with the woman of your dreams having pure, unadulterated sex whenever you please seem pretty fucking awesome to me." He laughs and takes a big bite of his pie. "Oh and don't forget the late night L Word marathons and doing karaoke to Tegan and Sara songs."

"Glen, I'm being forreal here." I scold him. His mouth clamps shut to the volume of my voice. "I'm not sure I wanna spend the summer with her."

"Why not? You rather enjoy the questioning from Mom of when you'll find a nice Christian boy to settle down with?" Another wisecrack. "Ok, on a serious note, what could go wrong?"

"Everything." I reply sadly.

"Like?"

"Like we get so sick of each other's presence, that we start to get into arguments, arguments lead to doing dumb shit or..or..we realize there's too many differences between us and we break up that way or…or..she realizes that she can't settle with just one woman and goes back to her sluttish ways..or..or-"

"Ok, Spencer, stop!" Glen holds his hands up. "Are you being forreal right now? Cause to me, it sounds like you're making up excuses."

"Glen, I'm not, I just…every now and then, those thoughts run through my mind."

We're just about done our food; the waitress comes to bring our check. "Let me give you my take on this since you're paying and whatnot." I roll my eyes in response. "Have you and her got into an argument over dumb shit.." I open up my mouth to reply, but he hold his finger up to silence me. "that soon after ya'll haven't made up about?"

"No." I answer meekly.

"Your second reason is a cop-out and I'ma tell you why."

"You know you're sounding a lot like mom right now." I counter with a side-eye.

"Shut up and listen, please. Cause it's not every day you're graced with my advice." He says smugly. "Or my good looks."

"You were saying?" I ask; the exasperation evident in my voice.

"I know ya'll have a lot of differences. But, look at our crew. You don't see how different Carmen and Kyla are? or Keys and Zahra? Hell, Zahra's straight…technically. Sometimes, opposites attract like magnets."

"Were you paraphrasing Jay-Z?"

"Somewhat." He admits. "Anyways, I know I may look dumb, but any female that asks you to spend the whole summer with her in her own house clearly does not want to fuck around with other chicks. How would she be able to pull that off? You'd probably go Rambo on her ass."

"You have a point." We leave the restaurant and start our walk back to campus. We don't say anything at first; just acting stupid and attempting to trip each other over with our feet. Here, I am trying to cheer Glen up and he's being my shoulder to lean on. "Glen, to be completely honest with you, I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of closeness with Ashley."

"But, don't you do it now though?" He points out as if it's so obvious. "Without even knowing it."

"Yea, but, her asking me that brings it out into the light. I don't want to feel like we're moving too fast."

"I thought all lesbian couples moved too fast." He jabs. "Technically, speaking, ya'll honeymoon stage has been over, so ya'll doing pretty good." He grins and I can't help to grin with him because he's right.

"I don't wanna scare her..I don't wanna scare me and this all blows up in our face."

"Look, I knew there was a main reason that you're hesitant about being with her for the whole summer and if you want, I'll stay with you here and get a job. Maybe, I can shack up with Keys." He chuckles at the idea. "But, please don't be a chicken about it. Talk to her and tell her why you might say no. Ok? Cause I like Ashley and I like her for you. I see things that you don't see, Spence. Trust me, you'll be ok." He gives me a side-hug in which I return.

"Thanks, Glen." I shake my head in embarrassment. "Here you are, making me feel better and it's supposed to be the other way around."

"Well, you could play me in basketball, then football. Soccer, too." He replies with a hint of hope.

"Glen, we just ate. Let it digest first."

"What the hell are you talking about? I meant on the Xbox. I feel lazy as shit right now." We laugh as we take the elevator up.

"Ok, prepare to get your ass beat then."

"Pfft! Like you could beat me now? Your fingers are probably rigid from all the finger-boning you do-OWW!" Glen rubs the spot where I just punched him in.

"How's that for rigid..twink?"

"Muff-muncher."

"Pillow-biter." We laugh again at our antics. I really do love this idiot.

Two hours straight. We're playing game after game. Glen beat me on basketball, but I got him back on Madden NFL. So, it's a tie. We're now on FIFA; acting like some serious gamers right now.

"NOOO!" I yell out as Glen gets a goal past me.

"Gooooooooooooalllllll!" Glen exclaims and starts doing the CatDaddy.

"Fuck!" I slam the controller on the bed as he continues to dance in front of me.

"In ya face, Spence!" He laughs maniacally as I pout. "Even with Manchester, you still can't beat FC Barcelona."

"Are you done gloating?"

"Lemme bask in it a little bit more."

"Glen!"

"Ok, I'm good." He sits back down and turns off the game.

"I could've just let you win, you know. Since you were all mopey today." I reply haughtily.

"Ha! Never!" He counters. My phone vibrates and it's a text from Ashley. I smile on instinct. "Is that wifey?"

"Yes. I mean-it's Ashley, if that's what you're asking." I blush a little.

"Same difference." He flags. "So, what's next on the agenda to keep me busy so I don't think about 'him'." He uses air quotations.

"You wanna go to the movies with us?" He switches his footwear to some Adidas slip-ons. Almost flip-flops; I think I'm getting him back.

"And see what? Cause I don't wanna see any chick flicks. I don't care how hot the leading lady is."

"Does it matter? You're getting some fresh air and again, I'm paying." I urge him.

"I don't know. Maybe, we can shoot some hoops later. The real ones."

"Oh, come on, Glen. Why not?"

"You sure I won't be like the third wheel?" He asks quizzically.

"Actually, Carmen and Kyla are coming, too." I turn my head so I don't see the look on his face; he switches his hoodie for a black crewneck.

"You're kidding, right?" I get an incoming text as soon at the same time and flash him a hesitant look. "What is it?"

"Ok, make that Carmen, Kyla, Keys and..Zahra." I almost didn't wanna say Zahra's name because I don't know if is angry with her too for some reason.

"Nope. No fucking way. Ya'll have fun." He flags me and turn his music player back on. 112's 'It's Over Now' starts playing. Oh, screw this.

I turn off the player while I give him my head-tilt pout. "Please, Glen."

"I'll be the odd man out; like literally." He frowns.

"I promise. We'll do our best not to make you feel like it. But, you'll be with people that give a damn about you; having a good time." He looks up from this; his mind is weighing the options. "Maybe there will be some hot ticket guy that you can flirt with." I add to persuade him.

"I don't want to flirt with some dude for a free showing next week. I want Nasir. I really need to talk to him, Spence." He replies honestly; we say nothing to each other for a few minutes.

"How about this? You have fun with us tonight; just let the stress of the last few weeks fade out of you. Relax. Then, first thing tomorrow, go talk to him and make up. Sounds like a plan to you?" I ask expectantly; I hold my hand out for him. I didn't realize how much of my brother's heart is involved with Nasir. But, it must be a lot or better yet, all of it. I just want him to be happy and I'm unsure as he is that Nas can do that for him.

"Let's get this shit over with." He answers jokingly; he gives me a dap as he stands up. "I gotta figure out which of ya'll does the least making out in a movie theatre, so I can sit next to you guys." We both let out a laugh as I text Ashley back to pick us up; Carm and Kyla are riding with Keys and Zah.

"Don't worry; we'll keep a lid on it. I'm tellin you, Glen. We'll have a good time." He shoots me a skeptical look as we walk out his dorm room. God, I hope we have a good time for his sake.

**Glen's POV**

Dark place; food, drinks, moans and groans, six females near me. Sounds awesome, right? FUCK NO! I'm uncomfortable as shit right now. Have you ever been to the movies with 6 women and they're all coupled up? Ever? Didn't think so. You know why? Cause there all in different stages of PDA right now. I never realized how annoying that shit is until I didn't have someone to do it with.

I look to my left and I see my sister's neck getting nuzzled to death by her girlfriend's face. I turn my head to the right, I see what looks like Keys and Zahra paying attention to the movie til I realize I can't see Keys' right hand anywhere; Zahra's clutching her jacket in her lap and keeps shooting warning glances at Keys. Pfft! I can tell she's enjoying it though. I heave out a sigh and lean back in my chair. I catch a glimpse of Carmen and Kyla tonguing each other down; Kyla is holding the big tub of popcorn while doing it; multi-tasking. Some teen-age punk has his gaze fixed on them; he meets my glare and gives me a grin and a thumbs-up. Dumbass dude. I flip the bird at him and shoot him a fierce look. His grin falters and he puts all his attention in the movie. Damn, I can't believe that look worked. 1 for Carlin. See, I know I can hold my own, but my outside appearance just makes me look like a scared lil white boy at times. Carmen is right for callin me a twink; but don't tell her I said that.

I turn back to the screen. I hear giggles, slight gasps, and husky whispers; I roll my eyes into the back of my skull at the added audio in the theater. "Keys." I whisper to her to get her attention, but she's too busy in Zahra's ear making her bite her lip about something. "Hey, Keys!" I say little louder and she whips around in her chair with an irritated expression.

"What? Damn, we're in a movie theater, G.C. Why didn't you just tap me?" She asked in a hushed tone. I see Zahra straighten herself out a bit.

"My bad."

"And they're gonna think that I'm the one talking like I'm some ignorant, loud Black chick at the cinema."

"Well, if you weren't too busy fingerpopping ya girl under the jacket, I wouldn't have had to raise my voice." I snap back.

"I wasn't fingerpopping, alright?" She informs and bumps my arm off the armrest.

"Only cause I wouldn't let you." Zahra adds with a smirk. I knew it.

"Zah? Really though?" Zahra shrugs and takes a sip of their drink. Yes, they're sharing a drink like the little lezzie lovebirds they fuckin are.

"Whatever, can you tell Kyla to pass the popcorn over? She's been hogging it for half the movie."

"No problem." Keys leans over Zahra and smacks the back of Carmen's head. Carmen winces at the impact and breaks her kiss with Kyla. She turns her head in our direction as Kyla chuckles.

"Ayo, who the fuck did that?" Carmen stares at us three.

"Glen wants Kyla to pass the popcorn; he says her piggy-ass is hogging it." Keys grins evilly. "There you go, Glen. You're welcome."

"I did not say that." I defend myself.

"I know. You're not that stupid." Kyla replies playfully; she passes the popcorn to Carmen; who shoves it in the arms of Keys. I yank it from her before she decides to do the same to me. I look down and there's only a handful or two left in the bucket. I eat it anyway; it's all dry and non-buttery. Damn.

Carmen sucks her teeth. "This movie blows. Who wanted to see this shit anyway?"

"Me." Kyla, Zahra and Spencer answer in unison. "We took a vote, remember?" Spencer reminds us for a moment, then her attention is right on Ashley again.

"Well, it was 4-3 so technically that means we could've seen the new action flick with that MMA chick."

"That means you wouldn't have got any later on tonight." Kyla counters.

"Oh, trust. I would've still got it." Carmen winks, she plants a loud kiss on Kyla's cheek which transforms her into a schoolgirl. Oh, fuck my life right now.

"Can ya'll please not do that?" They both shoot me an incredulous look. "I think a pubescent boy's balls dropped just by watching ya'll suck each other's face off." I cross my arms and focus my attention on the screen. I don't even know what's goin on right now in the movie. All I know is I got dragged to see this stupid chick flick starring that guy from the first Step-Up movie. What's this called again? _The Promise_? _Sincerely, Jake_? I don't know nor do I care. I'm just mad my sister spent her hard-earned money from our parents' hard-earned credit card to pay for my ticket to this snooze-fest.

"Well, you could've joined us at any time, Glen." Kyla teases me.

"Hey!" That would be Carmen. "Don't joke like that, ma."

"Aww, is my baby jealous?" Kyla reaches over and rubs Carmen's nose with her own. God, they got to that stage in their relationship already?

"Yo, would you guys shut up and just watch the stupid movie?" Ashley speaks up. She gets a couple of 'shhh!'s from the row in front of us. "Sorry about that. They're special." Ashley quips masking her embarrassment. She gives each of us the evil eye to pipe down.

"I know Nikki McNuzzle over here didn't just tell us to shut up. Thought Spencer's neck was too interesting to pay attention to anything else." Keys laughs and immediately gets a light shone on her by the usher with his finger over his mouth. "What? Oh, this is some bullshit."

"Habibti.." Zahra warns soothingly; she holds her Keys arm close to her and rubs her palm. "Chill. Don't take any offense to it." She gives her a peck on the cheek to calm her down.

"I'm not the only one sitting here talking though, Zah." She whispers sharply. "The dude only put me on blast. Me!"

"That's cause he didn't see me with my two young babies telling them to be quiet in Spanish." Carmen adds sardonically. We all stifle a laugh; even Keys. The usher guy is watching us intently. "_Callate, puta. Coño! Y no mueven_, ok?"

"C, I do not want subtitles here at the movie theatres, please." Ashley retorts.

"Ahh, racial stereotypes." Zahra says dryly. "Gotta love them." Keys and Carmen grin at Zahra while she just shakes her head in amusement.

It gets quiet again and all the chicks fall into their boo-love status once more. Ugh! Seriously, I can't with them right now.

"I'm gonna go get some more popcorn." I announce; no one seems to pay attention to me. "Maybe, bang the old lady that gave us the tickets. No? Ok!"

"Ok, cool, get some junior mints while you're there, twink." Carmen replies with a slap on my ass.

"Bitch." I mutter under my breath. I relax a little as soon as I see the concession stand. I had to get out of there for a minute and breathe. It was too much estrogen flying around me. I can't believe I actually came here with all of them. I could handle Spencer and Ashley being cute and shit around me somewhat? But the other two couples? I never thought I say this about my two best friends and their girlfriends, but..they need to get a fucking room. I can't deal with them in the state I am.

I get in line and my mind starts to wander back to why I'm here in the first place. Why is Nasir giving me the run-around like this? I know we had our disagreements about culture and him being open about sexuality, but that doesn't I don't want to be with him. If anything I do. I just don't want to be in some fake-ass arrangement where I can't be myself with him. Just live and let live, you know? I see what my sister has with Ashley and I won't admit it to her, but it makes me smile in that inwardly cheesy way. She deserves to be happy. I want that, too. For some strange reason, Nasir makes me happy. He's the first guy I've ever been in a relationship with. Up to this point, it was just friends with benefits with a lot of seemingly straight guys and on-again, off-again relationships with girls. Nasir makes me want to be tied-down to him, like no girls on the side or any of that. I want to show him off as my boyfriend because…I'm in love with him and he's mine…right?

I shake my head to escape my thoughts and take my phone out. No missed calls. Of course not. I graze over Nas' number; deciding if I should call or not. I want to talk to him. Tonight. This whole debacle has gone on for too long now. I press the call button and listen to it ring in anticipation. By the third ring, I hear a cell phone go off with a familiar ring tone about 6 feet from me in the line.

"_Get all defensive, apprehensive, all because my career_

_To be fair, I know we barely know each other and yeah_

_Somehow I wound up in your bed so where we headin from here_

_Just say you're scared if you're scared but if you through frontin we can do somethin."_

My eyes follow in the direction of the song and I can't believe my eyes. This has to be some weird ass dream I'm having. I must've fallen asleep during the movie if I think Nasir is standing in front of me. That or he has a look-a-like who has a thing for Puma tracksuits. I can only see the back of him when the look-a-like stares at his phone for a moment and immediately push a button. I listen to my phone and get Nas' voicemail. He ignored me, he intentionally ignored me. What the hell? Ok, now I know he's been giving me the run-around. Without even thinking, my feet move towards him as he pays for his popcorn and sweets. I have half of mind just to slap that shit out of his hands, but he almost drops it himself when he sees me standing in his way with my arms folded; I'm so heated.

"Glen!" His voice becomes two octaves higher than usual. The only time I hear that is when…cool it, Carlin. You're upset with him, remember?

"Nasir." I reply formally; my voice and my stare don't match up with each other. I know he hears every negative emotion in my voice.

"Umm, hey." He darts his eyes around our surroundings. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

I shrug my shoulders in indifference. "Watching a boring-ass movie. What else would I be doing here?" I close the small gap between us. "Oh yeah and seeing my boyfriend blow me off to hit up the movies himself!" I yell the last bit.

"Shhh, Glen, please keep your voice down." He says softly; he looks around again and checks his watch. Something's not right. "Look, I'm sorry, babe. I-I've been real busy, you know."

"What you mean to say is you're too busy for me, right? You've been avoiding me. Like, forreal, Nasir, what's going on?" I try to hold his gaze, but he looks away. I want answers. Does he even know how I've been for the past 3 weeks?

"I'll explain everything, but right now isn't a good ti-"

"Nasi, habibi!" He steps away from me immediately. A chick in a hijab calls out while scurrying over to us. "There you are." God, her voice sounds like a siren. Why is she so loud? She brushes past me and gives Nas 3 kisses on his cheeks; leaving marks of her dark lipstick on him. I'm guessing this is another one of his cousins. It could be either side of his family. "Did you get my sno-caps?"

"Of course, I did." He hands them over and she squeals a little. I roll my eyes at the response. "I got some gummy bears for myself."

She does a tsk tsk sound to this. "Nasi, you know gummy bears have gelatin in them. They're haram. The chick takes Nas' candy out of his hands; she looks at me now. I assume she just realized it wasn't just the two of them there. "And who is this?" The way she says that one little question made my blood boil. I'm not usually good with voices, but her tone was full of inspection.

"His name is Connor." Nas says quickly before I'm even able to form a sound. Why did he just tell this woman my middle name. "He's a friend from work." A friend from work? So, I shake my ass on stage with him? Is that what he's telling her right now? What type of game is he playing? I shoot Nas a confusing look, but he doesn't react to it.

"Oh ok." She says not fully believing the name. I know she saw the look I gave to Nas. "I'm Hadia." She says with poise.

"Nice to meet you, Hadia." I reply; attempting to be cordial. She arches her eyebrow with its many shades of eye shadow.

"Same." She gives me a closed-lipped smile. A few moments go by where you can hear the awkward silence and feel the tension even more. I see her eyes linger on Nas' frame longer than they should for a relative which begs me to question..

"So, uhh, are you a family friend?

"No." "Yes!" They both answer at the same time. They exchange looks of misunderstanding. Hadia clears her throat and smiles knowingly. "What we mean to say is I've known Nas' family since him and I since 3rd grade. Right, habibi?" Nas nods his head obediently. I don't like this one bit. She keeps saying habibi. Only, we say to each other. It's almost as if…NO! It's like slow motion in front of me as I see her grab Nas' hand and intertwine their fingers together. "But, now, we're dating." Hey, where's that knife I keep when I feel like killing someone. Oh, I know, it's in my heart right now. I know the shock, the hurt and just the utter pissed-offness of what has just occurred is written on my face now. Nas has his head hung low; dodging all eye contact with me. He doesn't have to look at me though. He knows, oh he damn sure knows.

"Hadia, let's not jump the gun here." Nas says; attempting to lighten the mood. "We've only been on a couple of dates." A couple of fucking dates? Who the fuck is she? His 'beard'? I guess since it's a she, Hadia must be his 'veil', right?

"Yea, I know, which is why I said we're dating, silly." She answers with a giggle and a side-hug. Ugh! I'm getting nauseous. She's totally oblivious to what's occurring right now.

This gives me enough time to recover. I refuse to act like a total drama queen in a damn AMC theater. I put on the Carlin head-tilt and a syrupy-ass smile to match. "Well, ya'll look good together." I compliment; Nas is stunned.

"I know, don't we?" My smile fades some. Ok, this bitch is not that oblivious. "I'm pretty sure that you working with him at the Cheesecake Factory, you know just how sweet of a guy he is."

"Oh, yeah. He's sweet as fudge." I add. I look directly at Nas when I say this; he audibly gulps. Seriously though? That's the best lie he could come up with?

"Well, I'll let you two talk a little bit before the movie starts." Hadia says after another moment of awkward silence. We both nod as she walks between us; she stops briefly with a smirk on her face. "It was nice meeting you, Connor. Maybe you can double date with me and Nasi sometime." My nose flares up in response, but I don't lash out. She's not the real problem.

"Yeah, maybe." Is all I say with a small grin. She quirks her eyebrow again, this time in satisfaction as if she's just become the victor. Or maybe, I'm reading into this too much. "Mind explaining to me what the fuck was all that about?"

"Not really." He mutters, I almost didn't hear him. "Glen, I'm so-"

"Don't!" I snap.

"But, I-"

I raise my finger to shut him up. "Don't you dare say 'sorry'. This is a little past the 'sorry stage', don't you think, Nasi?" I openly mock how Hadia says his shortened name

"I know you're mad." He says miserably.

"Oh, I'm way past mad, I'm fucking heated." My voice rises and so does my blood pressure; this isn't good for my age. "I got dragged to this stupid-ass movie with 6 bitches in heat and you're here with some chick?"

"Wait!" He furrows his eyebrows in irritation. "You're on a group date or something? With who? Do I know him?" He gets up in my face; his chest inflating with every question. What? Is he fucking joking?

"Nasir, I don't think you have any right asking who I'm with or even getting jealous considering YOU'RE ON A FUCKING DATE WITH SOMEONE ELSE!" I yell in his face. "WITH A FEMALE TO TOP IT ALL OFF."

"Glen, lower your voice." He commands softly. He now reverted back to the nervous wreck I saw him while Hadia was talking to me. "Please."

"You know what, Nas? I can't with you right now, ok? This…" I feel my eyes start to tear up. Hell no, I cannot be a grown man crying at the movies with a closeted power bottom. "This isn't the time or place for this discussion."

"I can explain everything, Glen. Just come over to my house tonight. My parents are gonna be out til like 1a.m., alright?" He goes to grab my hand, but I flag him off of me and start walking past him; back to my seat.

"Enjoy the movie with your girlfriend." I call out behind me. A part of me wants to go back and talk it out right now, but I know his eyes are watching me. I feel his stare penetrating me. Fuck that. I won't give him the satisfaction.

As soon as I sit down, Kyla glances over and I must look like somebody kicked my puppy or kicked me in the balls or both. I hear her soft voice in my ear a minute later asking if I'm alright.

What do I say to her? I'm tearing up inside. I just witnessed my boyfriend on a date with a woman that's clearly into him and I don't even know why this is even going down like this. "I'm ok." My response says everything and nothing at all.

"You sure?" Kyla asks again. I know she doesn't believe me; Kyla knows when something is bothering me.

"Kyla, just drop it, please." I croak out. My eyes are stinging again. I'm trying to find my inner strength not to break down right now.

"Hey, twink, what happened to my damn junior mints? You took forever." Carmen whispers harshly.

"I forgot them." I feel…numb.

"What? Come on, Glen, you were out there for like-"

"Babe, leave Glen alone, ok?" Kyla cuts her off. "I'll get you some junior mints from Walgreens. Much cheaper there." Carmen grins like a 5 year-old and gives Kyla a quick smooch. God, is that all it takes? Kyla throws me one last worried glance before falling into Carmen's embrace again.

My friends and even my own sister all lovey-dovey with their other half, I can't help to shed a tear for mine. That's if I still have mine. Don't cry, don't cry. Just think. I got alot of thinking to do. Good thing there's still 45 minutes left in this flick. Decisions, decisions. I just wanna go home after this.

"Next time, we're picking a different movie." Keys announces to the rest of us. I hear Carmen mouth off a 'I know, right?' in response.

"I wasn't even paying attention." Ashley adds.

"Of course, you didn't, Ashley." Kyla retorts amusingly. "You're too busy canoodling with your geriatric ass." We're all walking back to the cars now. I don't think they noticed that I'm lagging behind them. No, they don't notice that I have my head down. But, I notice. I notice that there laughing and joking as if they don't have a care in the world. Well, almost all of them. Spencer is laughing, but I know she's still worried about what we talked about. Her eyes never lie what she's feeling? I notice that as we're walking, there's at least some type of physical contact. Arm around the shoulder, hand-holding, etc. Even with Zahra and Keys. I know Zahra's apprehensiveness shines through sometimes. Keys seems to understand, but I can't. I don't. They don't think I notice any of this. I notice them even when they don't notice me.

"Hey!"

"Calm down, Davies ladies." Keys says seriously. She pauses. "I'm the one that's old as dirt here. I'm 24." They all bust out laughing; I don't have enough in me to laugh.

"Wait, seriously. How did it end?" Carmen asks suddenly. "Cause I wasn't paying attention either."

"They ended happily after." I answered hoarsely. "Of course, that's not a realistic ending. None of this shit is." They all turned to look at me quizzically and I looked at each of them with a hard glare. "Love doesn't conquer all sometimes."

"Yea, you're right, Glen." Kyla agrees timidly; she knows something is up with me. "The movie was fake, but they gotta sell something to the lonely housewives and hormonal teenage girls." She chuckles slightly.

"But, that's just the thing though. They should show screw-ups, break-ups and just things that are everyday occurrences in a relationship." I say more to myself than the others. "Even the curveballs thrown in."

Carmen sighs loudly. "Oh, for crying out loud, twink. That's life. There not gonna show the bad on the screen like that."

"Well, they should." I reiterate.

"Why? We all had a good time, right? It's just a stupid movie." Ashley shrugs; I see Spencer grow uneasy cause she sees the troubled look in my eyes.

"Wrong, Ashley. Not all of us had a good time." I say matter-of-factly; her eyes narrow in thought.

"Tell me about it." Keys rolls her eyes. "Seriously, we're picking a different movie next time."

They don't seem to get it. "You know what, fuck it, count me out. There's not gonna be a next time. I couldn't stand it today with ya'll." I point out at all six of their frames. "Each one of ya'll made me feel left out. Including you, Spencer."

"Glen, I-" Spencer speaks in defense. "I didn't mean to." She gets a look from the others. "I mean we didn't mean to."

"No, each one of you bitches was all over each other like ya'll don't spend every waking minute of free time with one another. I can't stand it. Like did ya'll take my fucking feelings in consideration or did you think some half-ass trip to the movies would break me out of my funk? Cause it didn't fucking work!" I yell out in aggravation. Spencer and Ashley lose contact with each other quickly; the others are still holding on to their partners.

"Glen, please calm down." Ashley commands softly. Oh, she's the voice of reason now? The same one that punched her best friend for sleeping with her baby sister? Of course, I'm not saying any of this out loud. I'm not stupid.

"No, I won't calm down. I tried being calm and wait for him when I realized that _not_ calling didn't do shit. And to top it off; none of you seem to notice that I'm not having a good fucking time. Ya'll are all just reminders with tits." My voice cracks; the anger morphing into sadness. I rub my forehead in frustration. "What am I doing wrong?" I ask to my friends. They just look at each other silently; except for Carmen. I receive an eye-roll from her.

"I'll tell you what you doin wrong." Carmen stands in front of me with her arms crossed. "You were out here feeling sorry for yourself and being a stubborn ass."

"Carm." Kyla warns.

"No. Seriously, Kyla. You and Keys both tried to talk with Glen." She points both of them out for emphasis while I look down. "He wanted to be in his own little world."

"You really don't know anything, Carm. Back off." I say coolly.

"Chi-Chi, chill." Keys tries to pull her back, but she snaps her arm away. She's not backing down from this. "Let's just keep it movin." Keys shoots me a sympathetic look my way; not sure if it's because of Carmen or because of how she was with Zahra earlier.

"We understand that you're hurting, Glen. But, don't take it out on us when we tried to be there first. We are all here to have a good time and you're the one that seems to be acting like the douchebag right now."

I'm not supposed to feel bad for speaking my mind, but I just need someone to put this weight on. I mean Spencer said that they won't make me feel like the odd man out. But, honestly, it was a lost cause once I saw 'Nasi' with her.

"You're right…" I agree above a whisper. "I don't mean to be a douche to ya'll." I laugh bitterly. "It's not like I saw you on a date with my man in the movie theatres today or anything."

"Wait! What?" Spencer asks surprisingly; her mouth drops. Everyone looks around in shock which turns into a knowing expression; the last look they give me is pity. Even Carmen's demeanor softens before I turn to leave. "I'm sorry, guys. Enjoy the rest of your night. I'm gonna head home."

I walk away quickly because I hear footsteps behind me, yet I don't turn to see who it is. I know who it is without turning. I feel her hand whip me around. "Why didn't you say anything to me?" My sister asks; eyes full of concern.

"Didn't wanna bother your time with Ashley. You need to figure some shit out yourself." I point out; she rolls her eyes. "Besides, you promise that ya'll would keep it pg and I felt out of place."

"You're right, you're right and I'm sorry." She pursed her lips together; debating on whether she should ask or not. I make the decision for her.

"I saw him while I was in line. He ignored my phone call right in front of me, Spence." I explain with a stony expression. "When I confronted him about it, his girlfriend showed up."

"Girlfriend?" Spencer gave me a bewildered look. "He's into girls, too?"

I scoff. "Of course not. Have you seen him?"

"Then, who is she?"

"Some type of cover." I heave out a sigh and look at Spencer. "I really don't think he can be with me the way I want him to."

"Glen, I'm sorry he's putting you through the ringer. But, please don't say that. Maybe, there's an explanation." I shake my head in jest.

"He introduced me as Connor." I point out; annoyed.

"Well, you do look more like a Connor than a Glen." I give her a straight face; she grins slightly.

"You're definitely the good twin." She rolls her eyes.

"I don't want you to leave just yet. It's karaoke night at ICandy tonight." I turn my face up at her offer.

"You want me to go to a bar where a bunch of old queens are singing songs out-of-key to musicals and pop divas?" I quirk an eyebrow. "That's what you had planned?"

"Well, it's better than watching your sister and her friends be all snuggled up with each other." She retorts; she nudges me. It's sad how easily my sister can cheer me up some with her lame jokes. She doesn't even know it. I know she's not good with comforting me and she's doing the best she can. So, I'm thankful for that.

"You made that sound like a soft-porn orgy."

"Ew."

"Yea, I know. It's definitely gross cause you're in it." We start walking back to the lot; we're almost at the car when Spencer grabs me in by the shirt and wraps me into a hug.

"Umm…what are you doing?" I ask; totally confused on what's going on right now.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry I didn't make today easier for you. I wasn't thinking clearly. I'll definitely keep a lid on it this time."

"Thanks, sis." I reply with a genuine smile. "Also, I don't hold you that much accountable for your thought processing. Ashley is smokin hot, to be honest."

"Yea, that she is." She smiles back. We make our way to the cars again. "I love you, bro." Spencer announces out of nowhere. I beam inwardly, but I just roll my eyes and chuckle.

"You're so gay right now." I reply. Then a moment later. "I love you too, sis." We do a head-tilt at the same time on some cute shit cause that's what twins do.

"Let's go sing some god-awful songs."

"I'm singing something from the 808s and Heartbreak album." I quip. We laugh together as we see the rest of the crew huddled up in a circle. I sigh cause I know they're talking about me. I just hope no more dumb shit occurs tonight.

"_I met a Scorpio…damn._

_She had no limit to where she go. Oh, yeah."_

_She was so damn sexual." _

"Oh, God." Kyla shakes her head. "She is so on right now. How many shots did she have?"

"I don't even know." Spencer answers plainly. "She and Ashley kept doing them."

"What the hell is she doing?" I ask while sipping my cranberry and vodka. I've been keeping it light tonight. I haven't been in the mood to get wasted this week. A couple of guys have already asked me if they could buy me a drink. I declined. See? Even on my fucked up days, I still get attention. Some much older guy asked if I was looking for a daddy for the night, I definitely declined on that one. Carmen, Keys and Zahra sung the opening number to Rent while Ashley did a solo to an Ellie Goulding song. Spencer did some vague-ass 90s pop song that I can't even remember right now because I'm too busy cracking up at Keys making a damn fool of herself to a Tyrese song; she's slow grinding on the mic stand as if it's a stripper pole and making the "I'ma fuck you right" eyes at Zahra.

"_She said..Quita..are you ready for me?_

_I'll do anything to fulfill your needs._

_Tell me what you want and I got you, baby._

_Whisper in my ear while I'm driving you crazy." _

"Did this bitch just change the name in the song to her own just now?" Ashley replies handing Kyla her drink. We all nod our heads mindlessly.

Carmen keels over in laughter as Keys kicks the mic stand while pointing at Zahra; she winds her hips in a sexual fashion. Zahra's face turns red with embarrassment. "I can't. Like I seriously can't with her right now. Who's taking her home tonight?"

"**SIGNS OF LOVE MAKIN! ARE YOU THE ZODIAC FREAK I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR?" **Keys belts out at the top of her lungs; horribly, I might add.

Zahra just face-palms herself. "Wallahi! Never again. Never again is she singing while twisted like this." I smirk at her playfully. Even though she's mortified, she's failing at trying to hide her grin as Keys finishes out the song.

They all discuss who's driving who while my thoughts swim around my head. I've been feeling better and surprisingly enough, no one asked me what the deal was at the movies. I think while we were driving, Spencer must've sent out a mass text about what I told her, so they probably know and just aren't bringing it up for my benefit.. I have 3 missed calls from Nasir; each one of them, I sent straight to voicemail. I want to talk to him. I want answers, but at the same time I'm afraid of what I'll hear. I mean could it get any worse than it already has?

"I killed it just now." Keys says triumphantly as she plops down in her seat. "You liked how I serenaded you, baby?" She grabs Zahra by the waist and pulled her onto her lap. I look away from the scene.

"Keys, you remember I'm a Taurus, right?" Zahra gives a teasing look. "Or did that Afghan Kush I gave you fucked up your memory?"

Keys ponders for a moment before she snaps her fingers. "Ohh, so that's why your hips buck when I-"

"Shots! Anybody want to do more shots?" Carmen cuts Keys off and shoots her a warning glare. It's funny how she was all up in my face just an hour ago about being an asshole; yet now she's trying to protect my tender, little feelings. "You're done for the night, bitch." She points to Keys.

Nobody raises their hand. I guess everyone is buzzed right now. Except for Zahra, she's only been ordering pineapple juice for herself. We all groan once we hear the opening melody to Beyonce's 'Love On Top'.

"Not this again." Spencer whines. "Between this and 'Who Run The World', that's like 8 times now."

"You forgot about 'Party'." I point out.

"I may be young, but I'm ready." Keys croons and pump her fist. "Whoo! That's my shit on the low."

"Habibti, stop talking." Zahra commands. She plants a quick kiss on her lips; Keys grins like the Chestshire cat. Sucker.

"Well, I'm gonna get some fresh air before my head explodes." I get up and stretch; I catch Ashley looking between me and Spencer.

"I'll come with you, Glen." I give her an odd look, but shrugged it off as we left out the back door. We're standing not too far apart from each other; both of us in a semi-comfortable silence. All I hear is the muffled sound of Beyonce. It's a starless night tonight. Shame. The only thing giving off light is the waxing moon and Ashley's flame as she lights her cigarette. I stare at her in confusion as she inhales deeply; her eyes closed.

"Spencer told me you quit smoking." I know my sister doesn't like smoke; she definitely doesn't date girls who smoke. She finds it to be a bad habit. That and our paternal grandmother died from lung cancer because of it.

Ashley exhales deeply and turns to look at me with solemn eyes. "I did. Though, sometimes when I'm on edge about something, I can't help myself." She offers her pack to me. "Want one?"

"No thanks."

"Suit yourself." Another moment goes by between us. I'm not completely sure why she's out here with me, but I have a feeling it has to do with my sister. "So, how you holding up?" She asks; I hear the sincerity in her tone.

"Honestly?" I pause; Ashley nods. "I'm alright. I just don't know what to do with him. Spencer thinks I should hear him out and let him explain himself."

"Your sister is sweet and fair. A couple of things I admire about her." She takes another puff before she stares at me with questioning eyes. "And what do you think, Glen?"

"I think it's pretty plain to see…but, maybe I should hear his excuse. I really want to know where is all this bullshit is coming from?"

"Do you think it will change much?"

"Not really."

"I think anybody that's not giving you what you need or is fucking with your heart doesn't deserve it. They're not even worth your time. You can do better."

"Thanks." I glance at her with a smirk on my face. "Sounds like you know from experience, Ashley." I quirk an eyebrow.

"I do. That's why I have better." She flashes me a quick grin and I nod my head in agreement knowing exactly what she means by that. "Look, Glen, I don't want to seem inconsiderate coming out here talking about your sister…"

"But, you want to get the inside detail on her from me, right?" I looked at her knowingly; she shrugged sheepishly.

"Would I be too much of an asshole to ask you what's going on with her right now due to the circumstances?"

"And they say guys are egocentric." I shake my head dramatically in jest; she looks down. "It was a joke, Ashley."

"Funny." She takes another drag before flicking it out into the darkness. We fall into another silence; both of us looking straight forward. "Does she not want stay with me for the summer?"

"She's not sure about it." I answer truthfully.

"That's understandable…but why did she just completely tune me out about it instead of talking about it?"

"Spencer…doesn't like to face the music when it comes to relationship issues."

"I didn't think it was an issue. It was just a suggestion." She turns to me; unhappiness written on her face.

"For you, maybe. For her, it's a lot more. It shows how serious you are about her and she thinks it's too much too soon. I don't know. We don't have twin telepathy, Ashley."

"So, now she's the one with commitment issues. That's just great." She goes to light another cigarette, but I stop her without even realizing what I'm doing.

"Ashley, my sister loves you. You know it, I know it. Everybody knows it. She's not afraid of commitment. She's afraid that it's too good to be true for her. Understand?" She looks away for a moment, then nods her head. "I'm glad Spence has found love again with you. You're perfect for her and I pray that I don't see her in that state of heartbreak again."

"You won't. Not while she's with me." Ashley replies with total certainty. See? What the fuck is my sister on? This is the Ashley that I know while she's with my sister.

"I think you can stand up to Paula Carlin just fine." I grin widely and pat her on the back.

"Yea me too." She grins back and sighs. "Whenever that time comes."

"It will." I assure her.

"Thanks, Glen. And for the record, I am concerned about your feelings, too. You could be my brother-in-law one day." We both chuckle at the thought. "Also, don't tell Spencer I was smoking. She'd be so upset with me."

"Your secret is safe with me. For now." I point at her; she shakes her head amusingly and pops a piece of gum in her mouth and the door closes behind her. As I look at a text from Nasir reading 'Please come over, habibi. I'll explain everything', the door opens again.

I roll my eyes without looking to see who it is. "Spencer, I know you must've seen Ashley come out here with me. You guys should talk about your plans for the summer. Seriously though."

I feel somebody stand next to me and hold a drink out. "You left this sitting on the table."

It's Zahra. Great. We haven't said anything to each other today; in fact, we haven't said much of anything the past few weeks. I didn't try to ask her what's up with her cousin. Instead, Keys was already on her case about it cause she saw first-hand how miserable I was.

"Thanks." I say; taking my drink. We fall into an even more awkward silence that I had with Ashley. "You've been drinking soda all night, haven't you?" I point out; trying to start a convo as to why she's out here without being too obvious.

"Yup." Is all she says.

"I guess you're the designated driver for tonight."

"Something like that." She does a half-smile. "Ramadan is coming up. So, I'm preparing myself. No liquor. No bud. Fasting. The whole nine."

"Isn't drinking and weed forbidden anyway?"

Zahra shrugs. "Yea, but I'm a good Muslim regardless. This pillar in particular? I always do." I nod my head in understanding.

"So, Keys is supportive of it?"

"Of course, she is….well, until she realizes there's not gonna be any fucking for the whole month of Ramadan."

I wince. "Damn."

"I know, right? That's gonna hurt both of us." She giggles as I take a sip of my drink. "Glen, I want you to know that I had no clue what Nasir was up to all this time. I was shocked as much as you were, but honestly I'm not surprised."

"Why are you not surprised?" I stare at her; she sighs.

"Because he's done stuff like that in the past so my aunt and uncle will get off his trail. But, he's never done it while he was in a relationship."

"Well, that's comforting." I reply tersely. "He could've picked a less annoying fake girlfriend though."

"It's probably Hadia that was with him today, right? Fucking sharmoota."

"How did you know?"

"Because she's always had an infatuation with him. Hadia wants to marry him." My stomach does a queasy flip and I put my drink down. Marry him? "I've told her myself that he's gay and she doesn't believe me. She said she wouldn't believe a sinner like me; some dumb shit like that. So, something big must've happened for my cousin to even consider using her as his beard. He hasn't said shit to me about any of this. I've been in the dark as much as you."

"Glen, you have to understand. It's hard for a male to be gay in our culture."

"It's hard in American culture. But, it's not like he looks like some fairy. Shit, he looks more manlier than me. That's no excuse. He shouldn't hide who he is."

"But, he does." Zara confirms.

"But, why? You don't." I argue.

"So?"

"So does that mean if your parents asked if you and Keys were dating, would you tell them?"

"…Yes." I look at her in surprise. "I mean I wouldn't just flat-out tell them, but if they really wanted to know. I wouldn't lie."

"Maybe, I should've dated you then." I laugh bitterly; Zahra ruffles her curls a little.

"Me and him are on different levels; Glen. We grew up the same, but we're two different people. I never really gave two fucks about what my family thinks of my decisions in life. Only Allah can judge me. Nasir, on the other hand, does. He's the golden boy." My shoulders slump at this news.

"So, what should I do then?" I ask honestly. I think I'm even more confused before the talk I had with Ashley.

"Do what you think is best for both of you." She replies seriously. "More so you though cause I'm not feeling his actions, but I kinda understand his logic, Glen. I do."

"Of course you do." I reply in a non-sarcastic way. "He texted me, you know? Asking me to come over."

"I know. He texted me asking if I've seen or heard from you. I didn't reply back." I look up to the sky for a moment; then back to her.

"I guess I should see what he wants then."

"How are you getting there? You rode with Ashley and them."

I hold up my sister's card. "When there's a will, there's a way, Zahra." I smile cheekily.

"I'll cover for you. Let me know if you want me and Keys to pick you up."

"Thanks, Zahra." I walk over to the fence that goes out to the street and hop it.

"Good luck, Glen." I hear being called out before a taxi pulls up in front of me. Good luck indeed.

When I get to Nas' house, I didn't think he would take me up to his room to talk. I thought whatever he needed to say could be said right in the living room. My cynical side told me that he brought me up to the 2nd floor just in case I had to sneak out. I scoff at the idea. He's standing near his closet while I'm standing near the door. Fitting, isn't it? He just keeps throwing me these guilty looks and honestly, it's doing nothing for me. No remorse. I just wanna know what the deal is with us and he's not giving me that.

"Are you gonna start talking or what?" I ask with a snap in my voice.

"Habibi, I'm sor-"

"Don't fucking call me that, Nasir. That is not the time to be calling me that." He reaches his hands out to me, but stops in mid-air. Good boy; not the time for a hug either. "Maybe, you'll feel better calling me Connor instead." I add mockingly.

"I know. I was wrong to give her that name, but I panicked. Alright?" He says; trying to control his volume of his voice.

"No! Not alright!" I shout. "It's not fucking alright to lie about something as little as my name to your fucking fake date which by the way, tell her I said she looks like a hooker with all that make-up on."

"Well, what did you expect me to do? She can't know who you are, Glen." He answers truthfully." He says in a regretful tone.

I fold my arms roughly. "Why can't she?"

"Because she'll tell my parents." He starts to tear up and sits on his bed. "My mom…my mom found out about me."

"What? How?" My whole demeanor changes in an instant and I sit down beside him. His chest starts to heave as the tears fall freely from his eyes.

"I'm not really sure. She borrowed my laptop one day and..I don't know. I must've not erased my history. I wasn't thinking about covering my tracks at the time. She saw some things pop up from different websites."

"Oh, shit." I say gravely.

"When I came home, she just went in on me. She asked why I have all this filth on my laptop. I freaked and told her I don't know how it got on there; maybe a friend of mine borrowed it. She started questioning my friends; including you. I told her it definitely wasn't you." He sniffles and I roll my eyes.

"And she believed you?"

"I thought she did, but then she found pictures of you and I. She asked was I involved with you?"

"What you say?" I asked hopefully. I really wanted to know. "Did you tell her about us?"

Nasir looks at me with sorrowful eyes. "No. I told her that we're good friends and that's it." My nose flares up and I rise up off the bed, but Nas grabs my arm. "Glen, I did it to protect you."

"Like hell, you did, Nasir." I snatch my arm away. "You did it to protect yourself. Is that why you're dating this Hadia bitch? So you can be set straight? Did your mom even ask about Keys, you know the 'girlfriend' that you brought hokme to meet?" I ridicule.

He nods his head reluctantly. "I'm dating Hadia cause that's who my parents always wanted for me; both of our families. She kinda figured out about Keys once she realized who you are to me, Glen. I didn't have to say anything. She just knew after seeing that picture; no matter what I said."

"Of course, she did. You're not that good of an actor." I point out harshly.

"But it's not like that. I never saw my mom so sad, so disgusted. She said if I don't act right, that she'll tell my father and he'll throw me out." A new set of tears mark his face, but it doesn't subside my anger. "Glen, I can't support myself at this age."

"Nas, you're like 22 and you're a stripper; you're telling me you can't support yourself? Come on! I'm not trying to hear that." He shakes his head at my outburst. "I think you're just too afraid to live your own life. You're playing it safe."

"This is the only way I know how for right now, Glen." He says defensively. "I don't want Hadia at all. I'm not the least bit attracted to her. You should know that."

"You know this girl is like practically in love with you, right?" He turns his face up in disgust. "Like you're not just hurting me, you're hurting her, too."

"So? Glen, I could care less about her. All I care about you. You still have me, I'm not going anywhere.

"I don't have you if I have to share you, Nasir. Not completely." He bows his head down in defeat. "I bet you're not even supposed to see me now, right? Cause you're mom said so?" Again, he nods his head reluctantly, I shake my head and walk towards the door. "Bye, Nasir."

"Glen! Wait, wait, wait!" He swiftly blocks my path and grabs my hands. "I love you. I know it may not seem like it, but I'm risking my own well-being just having you here in my room. Don't you see that?" He gazes into my eyes pleadingly and some force in me makes me do the unthinkable. I kiss him.

I kiss him long and hard. It startles him at first, but he quickly reacts to it as we stumble our way over to the bed. Hands fumble on certain zones and clothes start being thrown/torn off; we're nude in a matter of seconds. I don't know why I'm doing this as I turn him over roughly, but he likes it. I think it's my little head being the master right now as I reach into the drawer of his night table; pulling out a Trojan and some KY lube. "Oh, Glen. I've missed you so much, habibi." He breathes out as I guide myself in. He likes this new-found aggressiveness of mines and yet, he hasn't got a clue where it's coming from. There's no more kisses involved, no foreplay; it's just raw emotion of everything I've felt about him. Just pain and pleasure mixed into one. I say nothing back because even though my little head has taken reign, my big head has already made up its mind about our situation.

I'll spare you the details about our fucking escapade. I know it's not as pleasant as say my friends having sex. Shit, I would like to watch Zahra and Keys get it on. Speaking of which; it's about an hour later; I sent a text to Zahra asking if she could pick me up from her cousin's house. She sent one back less than a minute later saying she'll be there in 20. It's about that time. I look to my left and see Nasir fast asleep on my shoulder; he's curled up on me like a teddy bear with a satisfied look on his face. I can tell he enjoyed himself through the foreign words and the fact that he's asleep. I can't say for the same for myself. It was ok, but the main reason wasn't for a nut that's been overdue….I just needed that last memory, I guess. I slip out from under him and quickly put on my clothes. I tie up my sneaks when I hear him grumble.

"Where you going?" He asks sleepily. I glance up at him before finishing the knot. You can do this, Carlin.

"I need to go." He looks at his clock. It's about 12:55a.m.

"Yea, you're right. My parents could be showing up at any minute." He says in a fearful voice; almost child-like. "Tonight was amazing."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." I said in an apathetic tone.

"Listen, I'ma try to see you later on this week. Maybe, I can say I'm going out with Zahra and we can link up then." I give him a long stare; he looks at me strangely. "What is it?" This is gonna be hard.

"So, this is how it's gonna be?" I ask for confirmation. There's no malice in my voice. I want his words to confirm what's already in my head."From now on?"

"Well, until I come out; yeah." He reiterates remorsefully. Nasir sits up in his bed; revealing his taut torso. God, I'm gonna miss that. "Glen, I promise you, it won't be like this forever."

I flash him a sad smile. "I know it won't." I pause as I swallow the lump in my throat. " I love you, Nasir."

"I love you, too, habibi." I gently kiss his forehead and move back to the door.

"But, I love me more." His face contorts into incomprehension and my heart pangs, but I need to do this. "I'm sorry, Nasir. I can't be with you. Not anymore. Not in this way."

"Glen, I know you're still upset, but please.." His voice breaks and I have to look away. "Please understand where I'm coming from."

"I do understand, Nas." My tears beg to fall, but I won't let him. "Which is why I'm making the decision for us."

"No, this isn't what I wanted."

"Me neither. But, it's what we need. It's what I need. Ok?" He says nothing; he just glares at me as if I betrayed him. "I hope you find happiness with your life and be free from yourself." He shakes his head like he's trying to wake up from a nightmare. "Maybe one day, we can be friends. But, for now, we should just do what your family wants, what you decided" I remind him. "and lose contact with each other."

"Yea. Yea, sure, ok." He says with a bitter sneer. I know he thinks the same thing as me; we won't ever be in contact after this. I open the door and leave out before I hear his voice croak out. "Glen..I really am sorry."

"Me too, Nasir. Me, too." I reply truthfully. I rush down the steps and out the front door; not caring if he said bye or seeing if he chased me down the steps. I hop in Zahra's car and tell her to drive. I wanted to be out of the vicinity as soon as possible cause if I wasn't, I might just do something stupid. Like regret everything I just did.

The ride back to my dorm is silent; except for Keys' light snoring in the back seat. Zahra doesn't ask any questions. I'm not sure if she wants to or she doesn't want to get into my business. Maybe, she'll hear what happened later from Nasir since he's closest to her. Five minutes later, Keys' voice cuts through.

"Ugh! Can somebody start talking or put some music on? Something? Damn! I can hear myself actually think in this car."

"Keys, just rest." Zahra commands firmly, instead of listening to her and Keys just sits up and gives me a dap.

"Where did you run off to? Having me worried sick and shit."

"Didn't know you were so concerned for me, Keys." I cut my eyes at her teasingly.

"Yea, well, don't let too many people know, ok?"

"Marquita, you're a softie. Everyone knows that." Zahra giggles.

"Stop ganging on me and tell me what went down tonight." Keys says in a serious tone; I shrug nonchalantly.

"Nothing. I just had to talk to him."

"Did he explain everything?" Zahra asks.

"He explained himself. I listened. I told him how I felt. That was pretty much it." I say curtly; leaving out the details as to why. I'm too tired to explain the rest. "I ended it with him." No one says anything. There's not even a look of shock; but I do see a hint of acceptance.

"Damn." That's all Keys says. She puts her hands on my shoulders as support.

"Yup. He had a chance to come clean with his parents; more importantly, himself and he didn't so...I ended things with him." I look at Zahra; she's wearing a pensive expression.

"You did what had you to do, Glen." Zahra says earnestly. "I'm sorry it had to come down to that."

"It's cool, Zah." I heave out a sigh. "Thanks though." It becomes silent once more.

"So..." Keys reaches over to plug her Ipod in and flips through the songs. "Did you guys fuck one last time before breaking up?"

"Keys!" Zahra and I say at the same time. Zahra slaps her in the back of her head while I shake my head at her blunt questioning.

"Oh, come on, Zah. They were a couple of horndogs and you know it." A Lil Wayne song comes out of the speakers and I immediately know what it is.

"You don't have to answer that, Glen." Zahra assures me. "Please don't answer that."

"Don't worry. It's all in the past." I chuckle as Keys raps along to the song. She must listen to Weezy in a non-sober setting. "Keys, why are you even playing this? I thought you hate his music."

"It's in honor of you, homie." She beams and I laugh at her weird-ass sincerity. I play along and do the chorus with her.

"_I ain't trippin on nothin._

_I'm sippin on somethin._

_And my homeboy said he got a bad bitch for me_

_And I'm single. Yeah, I'm single."_

"I don't know how I deal with ya'll two sometimes." Zahra shakes her head comically.

"Don't worry, Glen. Me and Zah got some Afghan Kush left, so we can levitate later. Then, I'ma find you a bad chick or dude like that." She snaps her fingers for emphasis. "You'll be better off, ok?"

"Yea, ok, Keys." I reply in haste; my heart not being fully in it. It's gonna take more than a new person in my life to get over the first guy I ever really loved. In fact, I'm gonna need time for me and only me. "Thanks though, guys…for everything."

"That's what friends do." Keys replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world while Zahra nods in agreement. We're close to the dorms now. I want to go tell Spencer what happened; maybe eat a pint of ice cream and watch some slapstick comedies with her. I decide against it because she might be with Ashley right now. I hope her night is going better than mine; even more so, I hope she and Ashley worked out their own issues.

Spencer's POV (again)

Everybody went their separate ways shortly after Glen disappeared. At first I was worried and a bit upset, but Zahra told me she's fine. I guess I know where he went. I make it a priority to chat with him tomorrow. For right now, I'm back in my dorm. With Ashley. She decided to bring me home, but wanted to come upstairs for a little bit. We're sitting on my bed; sitting close but not too close. Madison is knocked out with her earbuds and sleep mask on, but I can't help feel a little weary that she may be listening in.

"Some night, huh?" Ashley's voice brings me to look at her face. She's messing with her thumb ring; a nervous habit of hers.

"Yea." I agree softly.

"I sure hope Glen's alright. This must be tough for him." We share a quick glance and turn away. I know he and Ashley talked earlier at the bar; probably about me. I'm not gonna bring it up though.

"Yea, me too." Another beat goes by us.

"We-we're ok though, right?" She asks apprehensively.

I whip my head around to meet her questioning eyes. "Yea, why wouldn't we be?"

"Because earlier when I asked you about living with me for the summer, your whole mood changed." She breathes out heavily. "If I knew you would be so against it, I wouldn't have brought up the idea."

"I never said I was against it, Ashley." I reply in defense. "It just seems kinda soon."

"Kinda soon?" She repeats in a less than understanding tone. "Was it too soon to give you a key to my place, too?"

I purse my lips in thought of when she gave me the key and slightly smile after. "The night you gave me a spare key to your place was also one of the best nights of my life." She gave it to me the same night that we first made love. Ashley told me if I ever wanted to see her or need a place to escape, don't hesitate to use it. It confirmed even more that she was in love with me.

"It was one of the best nights of my life, too. I want to share many more with you in the months to come. Who knows? Maybe years." She declares; she scoots closer and grabs one of my hands. "Is that what scares you, Spence? A future with me?"

"Not exactly." She plays with my hand idlely to soothe me. If anything, it makes my heart beat faster. "I do think about the future about you, Ashley. Too much. That's what scares me…about me."

"Why?" She asks; her brown eyes go dimmer at my words.

"Because we're good right now. We're on fire. That's how I feel everytime I'm with you; which is pretty much all the time. Even when I'm just thinking about you; which, again, is pretty much all the time." I touch her face lovingly and she leans into the feeling. "I just don't want the flame to die out too quickly with us. I don't want you to be bored with me or the other way around. I don't want us to argue like crazy and either of us do something stupid. I don't want any of that." I confess in a rush.

"You think I'll be bored with you just like that? I can't say that doesn't surprise me." Ashley stays silent for a moment and runs a hand through her hair. "Spencer, I would try every trick in the book on how to keep our relationship alive just so you won't have these thoughts about me. It's all about communication, baby blue." Ashley's eyes lock with mine and I can't help to feel vulnerable under her gaze. "For the record, I wouldn't do you like that. I wouldn't go find comfort into some other chick's arms."

"I know. I just think sometimes how I'm lucky to have you to myself." I blush furiously.

"That's cause you outshine any other woman. I don't see any others." Ashley gives me her nose-crinkling smile and I melt in her arms as she hugs me. "I love you, Ms. Carlin." She kisses my hand in a coy gesture; I beam in return.

I bring her face closer to mine and give her a sweet kiss that's long overdue. "I love you too, Ms. Davies." We kiss once more and I feel her hand make its way to my waist while mines tugs at her shirt. Our tongues collide as we smack down on my bed. I pull her on top of me; I love feeling her weight on me, her lips on my neck her hands raking up and down my sides. I suppress a moan as I clutch the small of her back. Now, I'm not the one to be intimate while someone is sleeping in the same room. I know Madison could wake up at any moment during this cause I can get kinda noisy, but I don't care. I want my girlfriend. I want her to make love to me like we're the only ones on the planet.

As quickly as I reach down to undo her pants, Ashley pulls back from me and sits back. Unwillingly, I might add. "Spence, chill, I should go home." Unwillingly, I might add.

"What? Why?" I whine. My lips are swollen from just the short amount of kissing as are hers. I know she's trying to control herself; even in dim light, I can see how much darker her eyes has become. "Just stay the night with me." I ask seductively with a pout. She bites her lip at my request. "Please?" I kiss her deeply and flick my tongue on her bottom lip, but she pulls out of it with a smirk on her face.

"Damn, you're good." Her husky voice creates a giggle that sounds like music in my ears. "But, I have a lot more will power than you think I do. Besides, we should have a night from each other we're not trying to screw til exhaustion. Don't you think?"

"No." I answer hotly; I fold my arms like a child. My answer produces another giggle as Ashley plants a chaste kiss on my lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Spencer."

"I know." I sigh in defeat.

"I'll let you take your time with giving me an answer about this summer. I mean really think about it. For us, ok?"

"I will."

"I still want to meet your parents. Even if I'm crucified shortly after." She jokes.

"I'll make sure to say a prayer for you before you do."

We kiss one last time before she makes her way to the door. "No more hiding in that pretty little head of yours; just tell me what's bothering you. Whatever it is, we'll talk about it and get through it."

"I promise." She seems satisfied with my answer. As she opens the door, a thing that's been bothering me crosses my mind. "Ashley?"

"Yeah?"

"There is one thing that bothers me and I just didn't wanna hurt your feelings about it." I look away from her gaze as she frowns faintly.

"And that is?" She asks waiting for me to answer; I take a deep breath.

"I can't stand when you call me 'baby blue'. Honestly, it's kinda cheesy to me." I admit shamefully.

She stares at me for a moment with an arched eyebrow before laughing at my declaration. Whew! For a minute, I thought she was annoyed at my answer. But she finds it amusing. "I'm glad you told me. Carmen and Keys having been taunting me endlessly about it." She looks up in deep thought before grinning at me. "I'll stick with Spence from now on."

I grin in return. "Thanks, Ash." We say our good nights and I fall back down on my bed. Sleep doesn't come easy for me Maybe it's because I can't get rid of the ache in between my legs, but I think it's because Ashley is not laying beside me. For the first time since I started dating her, I feel cold and lonely in an instant. That's when I realize, I'm pass the point of no return with her. A terrifying, yet amazing feeling to experience.

* * *

**Whoo! 45 pgs is long to ya'll, I hope? This was feelings galore. I know it was sad, but I have plans for the characters in the sequel. Some good, some not so good. Bwahahahaha! -_- Anyways, since it's been so long, I don't know where to start with my sidenotes, so they are gonna sound more like random rambles. 1. Hunger Games was that WORK (..in a way)! Though, my back was hurting for those two & a half hours of sitting. What ya'll think? 2. Who's keeping up with the Vampire Diaries & Secret Circle? I'm a sucker for supernatural-ness, as you all know. 3. Season 6 of Skins gave me so many emotions. Like why Grace? Da hell was up with Franky? Season 7 is gonna be the last season. Aww! They better get that Skins movie in gear then. 4. I don't know if anyone still watches ANTM anymore, but Azmarie on the American side is so yum with her androgynous ass. Smh. 5. Pretty Little Liars season finale. I can't even. I'm sure ya'll know why. I'm done. *exits to the left* 6. What's your favorite dubstep song at this moment (if you listen to it)? Mines is Ellie Goulding's Lights (Wired Dubstep Remix). 7. Whose POV (or POVs) you want me to end this story in? 8. I seen a lot of 'Shit _ say' videos since they came out, which one is ur favorite? Mine is Shit Spanish Girls Say (which is more like Rican/Dominican girls from da East Coast) 9. I finally got a tumblr! It's so addictive. If ur on there and you wanna follow me; just ask. I'll follow back. 10. I've been reading a lot of good Brittana (Glee) fanfiction. Writers stepping their weight up. I owe a lot of people reviews, I know that much. Lol! And finally, 11. Since I made ya'll wait so long for an update, you can ask me any question you want to me (if you choose to). I'll answer it honestly (and privately) to each individual. Truth be told, I am a private person, so this will give you insight on me or my story or whatever. It's up to you, really.**

**Aite, that's about it. I'm not gonna put a deadline for the next chap. It will be up when it's up. I know now that I suck when it comes to updates. I overthink too much and lose sight at the same time. Let shit get to me easily and all that jazz. Le sigh! Thank you for all the alerts and reviews and for keeping up with this. I humbly appreciate it from the bottom of my ag/femme heart. Real chit-chat! Peace! **

**Songs used: Montreal by The Weekend; In The Morning by J. Cole feat. Drake ; Signs of Love Makin by Tyrese; Single by Lil Wayne.**


	27. Doors That Are Left Ajar

**A/N: Thank you to all my readers who have ever reviewed/alerted/PM'ed/sent me naked pics (joking, of course). I'm forever grateful; it means a lot to me. This is the last chap of this story. I really wasn't sure how to end it since I have ideas for the sequel racing thru my brain, but I hope you think it's enough. Now, for the reviewers that I couldn't PM back. **

**LeighLee****: Thanks for being a new reader. I hope you had a fun read with my story. It's long chaps for a reason. Lol! I say when it comes to Brittana fic; check out 'The Workaholic, the Recluse and the Wild Woman', 'This Is For Real' and 'The Soul Stealer'; those are the ones that enticed me the most. **

**Kristen****: Lol! I'm sorry that I caused you aggravation. I just really love languages and the different cultures that speak them. If you like, I'll gladly teach you how to pronounce the things you want to know. Just email me or skype; whatever. It's all in the bio section. I'm not sure what I said that had you thinking, but I would like to know. Lol! Anyways, thanks for reading. **

**Anon****: Thanks for your input & for reading. Two of the three names you mentioned will have their own POV in this final chap. :)**

**Special thanks to ChocolateYuriObssesser, skenedy, storka10 & Mahooya for the most recent alerts as of June 28****th****. On with the finale…**

* * *

Ashley's POV

"Say what?"

"You heard me."

"I mean I know she said yes and everything, but she's actually going through with it. Like she has everything arranged?"

"Yes. You helped us with her stuff, remember?"

"No, I didn't."

"That's right you didn't cause your ass was MIA." She looks away guiltily. I don't know what she was doing that day; all I know is I was a bit pissed off that she wasn't there to help. But, whatever, that's Carmen Sanchez for ya. "Anyways, why is this so hard to believe?"

"Because just 10 days ago she was unsure, wasn't she?" There's a pause in her question. "I mean are you even sure?"

"Well, now, she's sure-sure. And so am I." I say fixedly.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means 'shut the fuck up and be happy for me', that's what it means." Carmen and I stare each other, then bust into a fit of laughter. The waves matching our tones. I can't really stay upset with her for long.

"Fine, A. I'll be happy for you. But, damn, have you turned into a softie." She pats me on my back in jest.

"Me? A softie?" I raise an eyebrow. "Says the female who is pussy-whipped by my little sister."

"Hey, wait a second. I'm not pussy-whipped, aite? I whips-"

"Carmen! Have you seen my shoes? The black ones with the silver strap?" Kyla's voice calls out to us from the sliding door. We've been waiting for her and Spence for about a half-hour now, we already realized that we're gonna be late for Sean's party. His frat has a big blow-out at the beginning and end of each semester, but this one is gonna be special cause he's proposing to Chelsea tonight.

"Yea, hadita, I put it next to your red bottoms." She replies sweetly and returns in the house.

"Thanks, baby."

"Along with your other three dozen heels." She mutters under her breath. "Why does she own so many?" Carmen asks me.

"I heard that." Kyla yells out; Carmen and I cringe at the same time.

"Of course, you did." Carmen rolls her eyes.

"You need some ointment for that wound from Kyla's whip, C?" In return, I receive an exaggerated side-eye.

"Fuck you." I chuckle and sling my arm around her.

"Let's wait in the car. Get away from Kyla's bat-ears." I announce loudly.

"Hey!"

I tap on the steering wheel mindlessly to some Big Sean song while Carmen checks her phone with an exasperated sigh.

"If we don't get there soon, all the buffalo wings are gonna be all gone." Carmen whines.

"Didn't you eat the rest of my 'Oops All Berries' cereal like 2 hrs ago?" I accuse her. "It's like I'm living with two people instead of one."

"But, you are about to live with two people instead of one." She points out. "If you can't handle your cereal getting eaten. I don't know how you're gonna survive the summer."

"If I survived you eating my sister out under my roof." I cut my eyes at her. "I can survive anything."

"Mmm, my favorite berry." She licks her lips and wiggles her eyebrows.

"Please don't make me hit you."

"Spencer wouldn't approve if you did." She retorts "Although, she is sexy when she pouts-OWW!" Sorry, Carmen's head; my hand just misses you so much.

"Develop an inner monologue when you're talking about my girlfriend." I warn.

"Fucking _fiancée is more like it." Carmen retorts; rubbing the soreness away._

"Oh, shut up, you big baby. You're about to be 21 in a couple weeks. You can take away the pain with drinking legally now." I remind her.

Her mood brightens immediately. "Yea, I know, we're gonna have so much fun in Miami. For a whole 7 days, we gonna run that fucking city. I wanna hit up at least one classy strip club and about three ratchet-ass strip clubs. I wanna jump in the ocean naked after we leave those ratchet strip clubs to wipe the smut off of me though. Then-"

"Then what?" Kyla asks from the window. How long has she been standing there?

"Your sister is a fucking ninja, I swear, yo." She turns back to Kyla. "Then, I'm taking you out on a romantic evening cause of course, you'll be with us, mami." I clear my throat as Spencer walks out the house and locks it; putting my keys that I gave her to use. She smiles at me as if it's her first time seeing me today and my heart reacts as if it's the first time we went out together. I hope that feeling never goes away. "Spencer is coming, too."

"Coming where?" Spencer asks leaning over into my window; I give her a quick peck on the lips cause I can't help myself. She's wearing my clothes, too. Seriously, there's nothing sexier than your woman wearing your outfits and looking good in them.

"Coming into the passenger seat next to me cause Carmen is moving her fat-ass in the back." I reply without taking my eyes off of her.

"What happened to chicks before tits, Davies?" Carmen gets out and leaves the door open for Spencer. I watch her strut over with a confident gait in my ripped, curve hugging denim shorts.

"That's what happens when you have a rack like mines." Spencer winks at Carmen before she hops in the seat; I shake my head in amusement as Carmen pretends to slam the door.

"You got that right." I shoot her a proud smile in which she graciously returns. Carmen holds the back door open for Kyla as well before sliding in herself

"God, you rubbed off on her too much, Ash. She's getting too cocky for her own good." Kyla sidecracks.

"Suck my cockiness. Lick my persuasion." Carmen sings before Kyla clamps over her mouth.

"Carm, enough with that song already. Jeez!"

"Sorry. Zahra kept playing that fucking Rihanna cd over and over again at work the other day."

"And Keys didn't say anything?" I ask.

"Yo, you really think she would? She was humming along to the songs, A."

"How do they even deal with each other at work?" Spencer asks.

"I don't even know. They just communicate through facial expressions like 'meet me in the bathroom so I can fingerbang you real quick' and Zahra might give one back like 'you got it, boss. But only kissing cause it's Ramadan.' Shit like that." We all look at Carmen before I start the car. "What?" I intertwine my fingers with Spencer's and drive off. "What I say?"

"The fact that you can tell all that just by one look amazes me." I answer with a chuckle.

"The fact that you share the same look with baby blue since day fucking one and not know it amazes me." Carmen shoots back; everybody laughs; except me, I cringe.

"She doesn't call me that anymore, guys." Spencer defends me and lifts our hands up to kiss mine.

"Right, your new name is Mrs. Davies." Kyla joins in on the fun. Fuck both of them.

"Ya'll are such dicks." I snap.

"Suck my cockiness-"

"Carmen!" We all yell out.

We arrive at the party while it's in full swing. More people than I expected; but I guess cause everyone is done their finals by now. Some obscure David Guetta song is blasting through the speakers. We weave our way through the swarm of bodies; there are people inside jumping, pumping and humping away cause they can now relax. Carmen and I fall right into the party's vibe considering we've experienced on more than one occasion.

"Fuck! Look, how many people are here." Carmen exclaims. "It's more than last time."

"That's cause half of them are graduates now."

"Next year." Is all Carmen says and I nod in agreement. Next year, we will be seniors and we'll party all those 4 yrs of hard work off. Well, more like hard work and even harder play, but it will be the end, I suppose. It's bittersweet when I think about it.

I feel a pair of slender arms wrap around me pull me closer. "I don't wanna lose you in this crowd." She whispers softly in my ear. I feel her kiss the back of my neck and it sends chills up my spine

"Trust me, Spence. You couldn't lose me even if you wanted to." I lean my head back on her shoulder; she leans down and plants a sweet kiss on my lips.

"Ugh! I'ma need a drink." Kyla breaks us out of our little love cocoon. "I can't deal with this mushiness sober."

"I guess you'll be on for the whole summer then." I quip; she rolls her eyes at me.

"And then some." Spencer adds.

"Come on, Carmen. Let's go get some drinks." Kyla pulls her further into the crowd. A moment later, I see Carmen's tanned arm shoot up in the air. I narrow my gaze and see she's holding up a buffalo wing. Why does she have to be so extra?

"You think Kyla's right?"

"Right about what?"

"About us being all mushy the whole summer." I turn in her arms to face her and I see she's wearing her worried face. Her expressions are so clear to read now; it's like she can't hide anything from me.

"I hope not. I hear make-up sex is awesome so we should at least get into a couple of arguments." I grin; Spencer's eyebrows furrow in annoyance.

"Ashley, I'm being serious." I heave out a sigh; I pull her closer to me. Her own hold tightens up.

"Spencer, don't worry about the summer. Just let it be. We'll have fun, we'll fight, we'll fuck, we'll fangirl over Rizzoli & Isles and do it all over again." She giggles at my reassurance. "Are you in this with me, Ms. Carlin?" Her hand move up to my face and caress my cheeks; I feel her smile into the kiss I give her.

"As long as there's less fighting.." She bites my bottom lip hard; I hiss at the sudden pain before she gives it a swift swipe with her tongue. "And more fucking…" She gives a quick peck and slips out my arms. "I'm in it for the long haul..Mrs. Carlin." Wait? What! Before I can come up with a witty comeback, she already disappears through the crowd. Why did she call me Mrs. Carlin? She was just teasing me, right? Why would I take her last name anyway? I'm a Davies, dammit! She probably just said it cause of what Kyla said in the car earlier.

"Shouldn't you be following your girl like the little, lost puppy you are?" I feel a heavier pair of arms grab on to my shoulders. Sean.

"Very funny, Sean." I turn around as he gives me a perceptive smirk.

"I'm glad you came through, Ash." He pulls me in for a hug; I can tell he's excited about tonight cause he's not a touchy-feely person. That's more of a Chelsea trait.

"I'm glad to be here." I genuinely smile at him. "So, where's the owner of your balls at? I'm sorry, I mean your wife-to-be." He belts out a hearty laugh.

"Oh. She's somewhere around here; being the social butterfly that she is." He rubs his hands together in anticipation. "Anyways, I have a business proposition for you."

"Sean, I'm not gonna be the DJ for your wedding nor am I planning your bachelor party. Chelsea would definitely kill me on that one." I say jokingly.

"Trust me. You're not good with the 1's & 2's as you think you are. Plus, you know how many frat brothers I have? I already got that covered."

"Ok, so what's up?"

"How do you feel about the music business right now?" He asks me with scrutiny.

"You already know how I think about it, Sean. I think it's turned to shit. You know that and I know that. You got people like French Montana, One Direction-" I ramble on before he holds his hand up to silence me.

"And what would you do to change it?"

"I would sign artists that matter; that have real talent. Ones that aren't some gimmick. Do you know how many YouTube videos I see that have people that have so much potential and no one notices them."

"Right. Exactly how I feel about it, Ashley. The same goes for movies and TV nowadays, too. You have people that wanna get their name out that can act, sing, etc. and yet, no one wants to give them a chance."

"What are you getting at, Sean?"

"We should start a music label together." He says with all seriousness; my eyes bug out at his suggestion. I know both of us had dreams of working in the entertainment field, but this is a little far-fetched. "Better yet, we should start a whole production label; not just music but acting, too. Hell, maybe even dance, too."

"Are you insane?" He stares back at me in confusion. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to run a fucking business like that? Let alone 3 businesses."

"I said 'maybe, dance'." He reiterates like it's better. I shake my head in skepticism. "Come on, Ash. You out of everyone knows the business backwards and forwards."

"It's not all bright lights and money in the bank, Sean." I enlighten him.

"Like you would know. You're a daughter of a rock star for Christ's sakes."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"That means you don't have to do much to make your way up to the top if that's how you wanted to do it." I was about to protest before he put his arm on my shoulder to stop me. "I know that's not your M.O., Davies. You're hard-working, determined and talented; just like me. If I was a girl, I would totally go for you; gay or straight." He compliments lightheartedly. I would blush if it wasn't coming from a guy. "You gotta admit though, your namesake would create some of a buzz, so we wouldn't start from the total bottom.

"You wouldn't want to be a bottom bitch." I taunt.

"I'll be your bottom bitch if you take me up on the offer." He grins brightly; I roll my eyes. "But, I'm all about wanting to be King and you can rule this shit with me."

I arch my eyebrow at him. "You watch too much Game of Thrones, bruh." He sideeyes me. "Leaving the immense 'back-breaking, sleeping is forbidden' work it takes aside, you're not thinking how it could affect your family life. It's a non-stop job."

"Work hard. Play hard." He reassures me.

"Please don't quote Wiz Khalifa right now. I'm forreal. My sister and I didn't see our dad much cause of his schedule; just think about all the behind scenes shit you have to do as a CEO and President. Think of how that might affect your relationship with Chels." He scrunches his face up in contemplation when I said the last thing. I can see his gears working on overdrive.

"You have a point, Davies." Of course, I have a point. I know it would be easier for me to start a business because I already have a way in. But, that seems too easy and I like a challenge. It's the reason I'm in school now instead of just living off daddy's money. "But, I'm not just trying to be behind the scenes now that I graduated; I wanna make the scene. I wanna be the scene."

"I feel you wholeheartedly." I say truthfully.

"Good cause I think we can do this. We would be an unstoppable team. Besides, Chelsea would understand my passion and back me up 100%." As soon as he said that, I thought of my own family; Spencer included. If I lived that life already, why would I want to put her through that? Or even my sister for that matter. I'm just becoming whole again.

"I'm still not sold on this, Sean." His eyes go from hopeful to deflated, but he regains his composure. "Gimme some time to think about it. Ok?"

"Sure. No problem. Take your time." He nods his hand understandably; we exchange a dap/hug. "Now, let's go find our leading ladies." We walk around the party; his eyes darting left and right in search for his woman.

"You nervous about tonight?" I ask with curiosity. I mean, this is a big step for him.

"Nope." He replies confidently. A little too confident.

"Liar."

"I'm not."

"I would be."

"Why?" I shrug as he gives me a sideways look. "Oohhhhh, I get it."

"Get what?" I ask; I'm confused at what he gets.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, it's not if I'm asking you what you're talking about." I give him a quick glare.

"You're thinking about marriage." He says simply; my eyes bug out. Marriage? Are you fucking kidding me?

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hey, look at that. I actually said what was on my mind. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not." He pursed his lips for a moment. "What I mean to say is you're thinking about your future. As in your future with her."

"Please, Sean. We've only been seeing each other for four months. I think it is way too soon to be thinking like that." He shakes his head in amusement.

"Really? Then, why are you living together for the summer?" Ok, he has me there. Why did I even suggest it? OMG, what was I thinking? Wait, how did he-? "Chelsea told me and Carmen told Chelsea."

"Shit."

"Yea, good news travels fast." He heaves out a heavy sigh. "You know whether it's 4 months or 4 years like me; love is love. You can't fight the pace of it."

"That doesn't mean I wanna get hitched to her, Sean. It means..." What does it mean?

"It means that you're in love with her and you wanna spend all the time you can with her to keep that feeling burning bright, right? You don't want her to go home cause you'll feel like a part of you is gone..right? You're so in love that a thought such as marriage doesn't even disgust you anymore. Doesn't seem like such a bad idea..when it's with the right person."

"I..well.." Dammit, Sean. Why are you being so insightful now that you're about to be engaged?

"Save it, Davies. I know the feeling, ok? Believe me." We begin walking towards the buffet table. My eyes land Spencer chatting with Chelsea. Carmen and Kyla are sitting down eating nearby. I can't help my heart from speeding, but the rest of my body is calm. "I've watched you this whole semester; you and Carmen actually; both of ya'll are in this deeper way more than you think."

I snap out of the trance that Spencer just being…Spencer has put me in and shake my head in defiance. "You're trippin."

"Am I? You don't realize the number of chicks on campus that are fuming cause you're with her still? Carmen, too. Ya'll both catch shade from that."

"I've noticed." I lie. I don't really know; maybe cause I never notice. My eyes fall back on Spencer as she laughs at something Chelsea says. Probably telling her a stupid story about me during my freshman year. I hope not about the one where I got so drunk that I threw up in a girl's hoodie while she was wearing it. She never found the culprit.

"No, you don't. Cause the only thing you're noticing right now is your girlfriend. Trust me, boo, you're fucked. She's got you." He chuckles and I flip him the bird. "Ohhh, maybe later when a fine, intelligent brotha such as me is needed for you and Spencer's eggs. I'm gonna be a married man soon, you know." He grins brightly as I push him off-balance.

"You tryin to make us out to be the new Bette and Tina?" I ask; he gives me a confused look.

"Huh? Who?"

"Nevermind. As a lesbro, I need you to be up on the L Word and other shows that unrealistically portray me and my friends' lives, ok?" I pat him on the back for good measure.

"Ohhhh." He shrugs nonchalantly. "I'll just ask Chelsea later. I know she used to watch them with Carmen." He goes up and hugs Chelsea as if he hasn't seen her in ages; Spencer steps towards me to give the couple some space. "Hey, sweetheart. You talking Spencer's head off about Renoir again?"

"No." Chelsea says hitting his arm in glee. "She's more of a Van Gogh fan anyways."

"My kind of woman." Sean wiggles his eyebrows; Chelsea folds her arms and does the patent neck-roll. "I mean after you, of course, baby."

"Mmmhm." Chelsea feigns jealousy for a moment before kissing him.

"I thought I was your kind of woman, Sean." I add playfully; I take a sip of Spencer's drink when she holds it out for me. Mmm, Long Island Ice Tea.

"You're my favorite white girl. There's a difference." He points out.

"Don't worry. You're my kind of woman, Ashley." Spencer assures me; only I can hear. I feel her warm breath against my ear and I lean in more into her frame.

A loud crash is heard from across the hall. "Oh, what the fuck? People messing up my shit already though?" Sean sucks his teeth; then gains his composure. "Ladies enjoy your time here, I gotta play the responsible host. Oh and Ashley, we'll talk later. I got a business proposition for you." I nod in his direction as he gives a quick peck to Chelsea before he jets off. We faintly hear him say "Yo, what the hell is wrong with you? Is you serious right now?" when another song comes on.

"Well, I gotta get another batch of my buffalo wings up. Carmen and Kyla took the last of them." She disappears a minute later leaving me and Spencer to our own devices.

"I couldn't get you any wings, but I got you some Mac & cheese. Your favorite." She grins widely.

"Thank you, Spence." I return the gesture. "But.." I take her by the hand and pull her close to me. "I rather you dance with me." The song changes up to a slower tempo. She runs over to where Carmen and Kyla are sitting and drops the plate and drink off on the table; causing it to spill a little. She calls out a quick 'sorry' to them before coming back to the position that we were in. I giggle at her antics.

"I can do that." Her grin grows even wider as I spin her into the crowd. Even though there's a bunch of sweaty bodies in our midst from the total switch of music genres just now, I only feel her. I only see her. Damn, I guess Sean was right. I'm sure Chelsea told the guy to switch it up since this is one of her favorite singers and I mentally thank her cause I wanted to dance with Spencer without humping the shit out of her. I can always do that later tonight.

"_Tell me that I'm sexy like I was before._

_Tell me that I got it, that you want it even more._

_Tell me that you'll never, ever.._

_Ever leave my side._

_Tell me 'cause you know I need to hear it every night."_

"Baby, you got me. Don't worry your pretty little heart." I serenade into Spencer's ear as I slide my hands from her hips to her cheeks. Her ocean blues darken some and I feel my body heat up even more. Her lips are on mine before I can even say the next line. She kisses me with so much want, so much neediness. So much…love. I feel dizzy. I think this is a beautiful start to our summer. Of course, the moment doesn't last when she pulls back and her eyes widen in surprise.

"Ashley, I think we may have a problem." I turn around to where she's staring and I see my sister arguing with some dark-haired, muscular guy by the pool.

"Shit! It's Aiden. Stay here. I'll be right back."

My body goes into big sister mode when I see Kyla about to walk away and Aiden grabs her arm. I'm almost there until I see Carmen appear out of nowhere. Even though she's way shorter and smaller than Aiden; I can tell he was taken aback by her sudden arrival. I don't know why; it's not like people don't know they're girlfriends. Maybe he really is that dense. He starts to back away from Carmen's wrath as she curses him out in Spanglish. He's scared, but he doesn't want to show it. Kyla tries to calm her down by holding her back, but I can see a hint of gratitude in her expression and something else that I really don't wanna see cause I know that look. Aiden stupidly decides to get one last word in to save face. Wrong move. I cheer out a 'Yeeeaaaahhh' when I see Carmen give Aiden a huge shove; he loses his balance and falls directly into the pool. Everybody round the poolside starts hooting at him as he splashes around in frustration. Kyla pulls Carmen in for a heated kiss and the crowd whoops. I shake my head in fun when I see Kyla drag Carmen away. I already know what she's thinking and I can't blame her. She's a Davies after all.

"Is everything alright?" Spencer asks as soon as I get back to her. Her brows are close together in concern. I pull her close to me and continue our dancing as if nothing happened.

"Yea, it's fine. Carmen took care of the problem." I smirk proudly.

Kyla's POV

"_¡Coño_!" Carmen exclaims as her back and head make contact with the firm closet door. I lift her up on to my hips and pin her there before she has a chance to slide down. "Take it easy, Kyla."

"Oooh, I'm so sorry." I'm half apologizing/half chuckling at the accident I just caused. I massage her head as my lower half pushes into her center. She groans at the contact; I'm not sure which though. "I just wanted us to be alone.." I give her a deep kiss before my lips and tongue trail down to suck on her pulse point. "for a minute or two." I hear her hiss as I bite down on her neck. Yea, it'll leave a mark.

"And here I just thought you were distracting me from beating up that caveman."

"No, I wanted to reward you, Carmen." I glide my hands down to her stomach. She pulls me in for another searing kiss before I let my hand sneak up under her shirt; already searching for one of her breasts. "And release some of that tension while we're at it."

"Fuck!" Carmen breathes out as I lift up her bra to liberate MY objects. Cause they are mine and no one can say different. Carmen snatches her shirt off so I can get better contact as my mouth transfers from her lips to her breasts; sucking and nipping from one to the next. "Kyla…we can't...unf.." She doesn't finish her sentence when she feels my hand suddenly on her panties. I press my fingers faintly and I'm greeted with wetness. "¿_Qué tu haces?_"

"Hm?" I ask innocently…well as innocent as I can with her tit in my mouth. I let go with a noisy plop. "If you're thinking about one of the bedrooms; I'm sure they're being used by now. Besides, this won't take long and no one can hear us." All that can be heard is the Roots 'Break You Off' pumping through the stereos; all that can be seen in the closet is our outlines of our frames. It's damn near pitch-black. I can't see the dark gray that Carmen's eyes are now nor can I see her biting her lip at every little touch that my hand and tongue gives to her erogenous zones, but I can tell. I can always tell. Usually, I'm all about taking things slower than this and let Carmen pleasure me first; which she likes. Sex with her is exhilarating; making love with her is Nirvana. But, seeing her stand up for me and our relationship just brings out the carnal in me. I wanna fuck her brains out at this moment. "You're so damn sexy, Carmen. The way you took charge like that. It turned me on like crazy." I breathe out hotly in her ear while I nibble on it; she moans in response. I cut it short by assaulting her mouth with my own until oxygen becomes an issue.

"Wow!" She pulls back to catch her breath; my mouth falls on her neck. "I should fight for you more often then if I'm gonna get this type of action from you-SHIT!" I keep cutting her sentences off. Must've been my fingers moving her panties out the way to rub on her sensitive nub that did the trick. God, I love how she feels; I can never get bored of the sensation. She's so warm and slick; so easy to slide my fingers anywhere in that area. "Ohhh. _Qué rico, mami_." She gasps in my ear; the hold she has on my head tightens; her fingers snake through my hair as she brings my head back up for our lips to crash again.

"Oh, you like that, huh?" I ask between kisses; my tone full of cockiness.

"Mmmhm." She replies through pressed lips. I reposition us for a second to get ready for the finale. Without warning, I let my index and middle finger enter her pussy like a key into a lock. Now, she's all open. Her hips buck up and down at a rapid pace trying to keep up with my movements as I pump brutally in and out of her. My hand is soaked by now. "Kyla, you feel so good. Don't stop, baby." She pleads

"You like when I fuck you, Carmen?" I ask with a sultry voice that I didn't think I possessed. The sounds of her moans and the slapping of her center against my palm is the only thing emanating in the closet.

"_¡Ay, si hadita! ¡Si!" _My knees buckle some from the whimpering tone in her words, but I force myself back into character and continue to give her what she craves. She wants to cum. Badly.

"Say it!" I command; I take my fingers almost all the way out; teasing around her entrance.

"Fuck me, Kyla! Please!" That's all I needed to hear before I slam right back in her. Her body tenses up, then goes right back into the rhythm after a second. Loud bangs on the door are being caused by us and I could care less. Her breasts are bouncing up and down; her nipples lightly smacking my face as she rides my hand closer and closer to her release.

"I fucking love you, Carmen." I say tenderly. It seems odd that I let this inch of fondness peek out through my lust, but I wanted to say it as if she didn't already know.

"Me too, Kyla." She replies with a needy kiss; almost taking my bottom lip off in the process. "_Te quiero. Te quiero._" She repeats it like a mantra and my heart swells from it.

A guttural sound explodes from her throat as my thumb swipes along her clit while I curl my fingers up; still keeping the speed. "Yes, yes! Just like that, Kyla. _¡No pares, no pares!_" Her walls tremble roughly around my fingers as I feel a new wave of wetness flow out. Her back arches and her breathing stops before she calls out: "_¡JODER!_" and then her whole body slumps on me. I don't pull out until I know for sure the feeling has subsided, but she still twitches when I do.

The only sound is our ragged breathing. But I can tell she's smiling from ear to ear as am I. Our kisses are more warm and loving now that we got it out of our system. I let her down gently and brush myself out forgetting that I have Carmen's juices all over my hand. Fuck it! I'll clean up in a minute.

"Thank you." Carmen whispers across my lips. She drags me in for another tender kiss and sucks on my bottom lip for good measure. "I really needed that." Mmm, me too.

"My pleasure." I push her bangs off of her damp face. We're both a little sweaty. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." I pull apart from Carmen and feel around for her shirt.

"You weren't lying about the quickness." I snicker and toss her shirt back to her.

"I didn't want people asking us why we missed tonight's main event."

"I can't believe we're about to see a wedding proposal happen.

"I know. It's so romantic." I sigh blissfully.

"I know you didn't just go from being a freak to a sap in a matter of minutes." Carmen chuckles and I shrug; realizing she probably can't see my movements. "Besides, Chelsea knows what he's about to do."

"Really? Who told her?" Well, that just ruins the surprise.

"No one did. She found the ring in his drawer when she did his laundry. Of course, she's playing it coy tonight though cause she's Chelsea." I feel move her towards me and I feel her arms wrapped around my waist. "That's why you should never let your woman do your own laundry.

"Of course, you still have a mom that does yours." I jab.

"Hey, I gotta keep the old lady busy somehow."

"Oh, your mom is definitely not old; not with that titty set."

"God, why is everybody so hung up on my mom's assets?"

"Cause we can see where her daughter gets it from." I give her an Eskimo kiss. "Let's get out of here. It's already stuffy in here as it is."

"You picked the location."

"Well, it was a 'spur of the moment' type of thing."

"I'll say." Carmen concurs snidely; I turn the knob to the left but I don't hear the click. "I bet we look like a hot mess."

"Well, we'll fix ourselves up before we go back downstairs." I turn the knob to the right; again, nothing happens. What is wrong with this door? "I think the knob is stuck." I say with a worried tone.

"Step aside, little lady. I got this." Carmen nudges me playfully to the side and I roll my eyes in the darkness. I hear pull and twist the knob, but the door doesn't budge. She tries a few more times before she runs out of momentum. Oh no! "What the fuck? Is this door super-glued or something?" She tries one last time before banging her fist on the door out of frustration. Please, don't tell me…"Kyla, I think we're locked in here."

"We can't be trapped in here." I say disbelievingly. I try the door and still nothing. I hear familiar humming coming from Carmen. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Stop humming 'Trapped in the Closet', Carm. This is not the time to be funny."

"You don't see the irony in this?" Carmen giggles. Why does she find this amusing? And why did I pick a closet of all places? I must've temporarily forgot that I'm a little claustrophobic. "Besides, we can just call somebody to break us free. Hand me your phone, babe."

"Idonthavemyphone." I mumble.

"What?"

"I don't have my phone, Carmen. It's in Spencer's clutch." I inform her.

"Shit."

"Where's yours?"

"In your sister's car." She replies guiltily.

"Shit." We both get the same idea and start banging on the door for help; hoping our cries would aid us. But after a minute or so, we realized no one can hear us. I back up from the door and pace the little room there is in the closet.

"I can't believe you led us into a closet that automatically locks." She starts muttering in Spanish and I hear the word 'tonta' escape from her mouth.

"Well, how the hell was I supposed to know that it locks like that? It's not like I planned all this." I retort. "Besides, you weren't complaining just 5 minutes ago about being in here with me."

"Yea, well…whatever, Ky."

I heave out a sigh. "Now, what do we do?"

"I guess we wait for someone to come looking for us or to open the door." I feel her shift towards me; her hands grab on to my ass. "Or continue what we were initially doing." She suggests seductively.

"Forget that. I don't want anybody walking in on us." Carmen's mouth is on my collarbone in a matter of seconds and although, I'm horny still, I rather not get into it right now. "Carmen, I swear if Ashley walks in on us for a third time, you're not getting any for a month. You and Keys will be in the same boat."

"Ugh! Fine! Screw it." Her mouth leaves my body, but not her hands.

"Hands off my ass, too." I order her.

"Ok, I get it. The thrill is gone now." Carmen affirms sourly. We don't say anything to each other for a few minutes; both of us trying to calm our nerves down. "So, you okay that Spencer and your sister are gonna be living with each other?" She asks unexpectedly; I give her a sideways look which I know she can't see.

"Yeeeeaaa? I mean I don't have any problems." I draw out; she huffs in disbelief. "What?"

"I just think it's too soon. In fact, I'm surprised Chelsea is getting married so soon. She always said that marriage is just a ring and a piece of paper."

"Well, maybe that's because she found the right person; people can change their way of thinking on things, Carmen."

"So, that means Ashley can change her mind about doing this stupid summer arrangement, right?" She asks hopefully.

"Maybe." The bass of the music silences me for a second. "You really think it's that stupid?" I ask; part of me already knows the answer though.

"Well.."

"Cause I don't see much of a change of what they're doing now." I turn to her. "In fact, you could say we're doing the same thing as them."

"I'm not gonna live with you, Kyla." Her sentence comes out quickly; I'm taken aback some by her declaration.

"…That's not what I meant." I reply guardedly.

"It's just…all these changes have me a little on edge."

"Yea, I've noticed." I agree with a sour tone. I didn't really wanna talk about anything serious after we shared an intimate moment, but she started it. I hate when she's being vague with what she really wants to say.. "You know, I really wish you stopped this." I said voicing my inner thoughts.

"Stop what?" I can hear the confusion in her voice.

"You've been acting all weird since Ashley told you what her plans were for the summer." She thinks I haven't noticed, but I have. My sister was helping Spence move her stuff out to our place the other day and Carmen was no where to be found.

"So?" She asks curtly

"So..are you jealous cause you're not getting as much time with your best friend as you used to?"

"Jealous?" Carmen sucks her teeth. "Get the fuck outta here, ma."

"Then, what is it?" I raise my voice in irritation. "Are you afraid that I'm gonna ask you to move in with me next?"

"I wouldn't put it past you." She mumbles under her breath, but I heard it anyway. Bat-ears, remember? So, that's it, huh? I can't believe her. We just had a nice time and she messes it up with this?

"Wow..You really need to stop hiding your fears behind others' happiness, Carmen." I get up quickly to get away from her.

"So, you're saying you haven't thought about it?"

"No!" I snap back. "I mean I've thought how it might be for them; not for us. More power to them. Do you understand that?" I say sarcastically.

"Oh.." Carmen replies nervously.

"I'm not my fucking sister, ok?" I assure with a calmer tone. We're two different people; believe it or not. I mean do you not think I realized what type of person you were; maybe, still are and how it may take awhile for anything remotely similar to occur with us? Cause I do. It hasn't escaped me." I state in one breath. I feel a little dizzy since not a lot of oxygen is in this closet.

"I know that." She sounds somewhat remorseful. "I'm just trippin right now, Ky."

"So, for the record, no, I don't wanna live with you for the summer or anytime soon. Happy?" I finish bitterly.

"Yea..."

"Good. I'm glad. Now, I definitely wanna get out of here." I tug on the door, but still no movement.

"Kyla.." She says delicately.

"What?"

"I'm sor-"

"Save it!" Now, she knows I'm angry when I cut her off. I swear. Most times, we can be so good and then the next, it's her insecurities or my meddling that causes our dysfunction. It's trying as hell. Before, I have a chance to pull on the knob again, the door swung open with a start; making me stumble into Carmen.

"What the f-?" I try to see who opened it, but my eyes haven't adjusted to the hallway light.

"Ohh, my bad, didn't think anyone was-..Kyla?" I hear Glen's voice; full of surprise. I squint and see that he's grinning like the douche he is. And that he's not alone. He's holding hands with some chick that's from our Bio-Chem class. Lisa? Lisette? Lolita? Fuck if I know, she's watching us with impatience and tapping her foot. Whoa! Chill out, hoe.

"Glen, hey." I greet him in the normal manner; my burning cheeks are betraying me though. I know I'm not gonna hear the end of this from him.

"What's up, Ky? You two were trapped in here the whole time?" He looks back and forth at us now with a knowing leer. I haven't seen him much since the movies with finals and all, but every time I do, he's with a different girl. I guess this is the only way he knows how to get over Nasir.

"Yea…we, umm, forgot our purses." I look back at Carmen with a 'really?' look; she shrugs dumbly.

"Since when do you carry a purse?" He taunts. "Do you even own a purse?"

"No, but I know you do, twink." She shoots back. "What are you even doing here?"

"One: I was invited just like you cause I play pick-up games with like half the dudes of this fraternity." And probably bent over for about three of them. "Two: I'm here right now cause I wanna get my dick wet. Any more questions?"

"Eww." I roll my eyes.

"Gross." Carmen agrees.

"Says the chick whose shirt is on backwards and has hickeys on her neck that look like the islands of Hawaii." He points out triumphantly; he walks over to the door and puts something on the lock from locking completely. I'm positive that this sort of thing has happened to Glen before.

"Damn, Kyla." Carmen chastises me as she covers her neck before realizing that it's no use to. I inwardly smile for a second before putting on a nonchalant expression.

"Yea, yea, yea. If you're done with your 'purse-searching'," He air quotes. "I'd like to use the closet that now for some reason smells like carne asada." I turn to Carmen who I can tell is biting her tongue. She's been more considerate to Glen's feelings since the break-up, but Glen has been using it to his full advantage. We step out the way to let them through the 'fuck-in' closet.

"Guess we'll see you in a minute then. I'm pretty sure that's all it takes anyways." Carmen calls out to him as she flips her shirt on the right side. Glen does a hearty laugh before shutting the door on us.

"Well, that's was interesting."

"And he's coming to Miami with us?" She remarks disbelievingly. "Awesome."

"He's Keys' plus 1. You know Zahra's staying behind to take care of the shop." She sucks her teeth and I roll my eyes cause I know she's trying to avert what just occurred in the closet. Fine. I guess I'll keep it to myself. For now. "Get yourself cleaned up, Carm. I'll go find Spencer and Ashley."

"_Hadita_, wai-" I don't hear the rest of what she said since I'm now submerged back into the party's atmosphere.

"_She got an ugly friend? Roll solo._

_Can I stay at your place? No hobo._

_Not my fault, man, these ladies love me._

_She's an overachiever cause all she do is succeed._

"I'm on my ballin' each and everyday! Asian girls everywhere; UCLA! You see me, babe! You see me, babe!" The crows raps along to the song; I know they're only doing it for the UCLA part. Way to show school spirit, you drunk motherfuckers.

"Ky!" I hear Spencer call my name. I make my way over to her, Ashley and Chelsea. I don't see Sean anywhere. It's about to be midnight in a few minutes. "Where'd you go? Me and Ashley texted you, but you didn't respond."

"Yea, that's cause my cell is in your clutch, Spence." I see my sister throw me a curious glance. "Did I miss anything?" I do a quick glance at Chelsea to emphasize my question.

"Not yet." Spencer smiles cheerfully.

"Cool." I watch the other people have fun; I frown a little cause all I want to do now is go home.

"You alright, baby sis?" I look at her for a second; not wanting her to see my change in mood.

"I'm fine." I reply briefly.

"You look a little frazzled." I straighten out my outfit and my hair in embarrassment.

"I said I'm fine, Ash. Damn."

"Ok. Ok." Ashley whispers something in Spencer's ear and Spencer takes Chelsea with her over to the bar. The song plays on as Ashley slides over to me. "So, I take it Carmen is being an ass right now? Cause you seemed happy when you went to drag her off to Narnia or wherever the hell you went to."

"Carmen is being…Carmen. Nothing else is new." My sister watches me for a moment. I hope that she just drops it cause this night about me or even her for that matter. She puts an arm around my shoulder and gives me a comforting side-hug.

"Well, lemme know if you wanna talk. And don't worry about C, she'll come around and see she was in the wrong. People always do when it comes to you." She jokes; I giggle in response. Ashley has a way to make me feel better when I least expect it.

"Here you go, Kyla." Chelsea hands me a drink while Spencer hands my sister hers. "You look like you could use one." Damn, am I that easy to read? I must have no poker face.

"Thanks."

"No problem." She looks around for someone. "Where did Carmen disappear to?"

"Beats me." I say dryly as I take a sip. Rum and Coke. She's so perceptive.

"I'm right here!" Carmen pops up right next to me. I don't even glimpse in her direction. "The lines for the bathroom are mad long. What I miss?" She asks as she grabs Chelsea's cup and took a big gulp from it.

"Hey!" Chelsea stomps her foot down before snatching her cup back. She knew better than try that shit with me. "Where's your manners, Sanchez?"

"In the hallway closet." I murmur only loud enough for Carmen to hear, but my sister hears it, too and looks between the both of us for a split-second.

"My bad, Chels." Carmen apologizes and takes the cup back. "You won't be needing it for long tho." I feel her eyes on me, but I still don't turn my head to look at her. I won't give her the satisfaction.

"Why's that?" Chelsea asks curiously; I see a hint of a concealed grin. We hear the music stop abruptly; the crowd erupts in a bunch of 'wtf's and 'boo's. Sean hops up on the ledge where the DJ is at and the crowd applauses. It seems like everyone in this party respects him; his frat brothers are posted up in the front like a barricade. I guess that's the perks of being the president.

"What's good, everybody? You all havin a good time?" The crowd roars and thrust their drinks up in the air. "I wanna thank ya'll for coming out tonight. I know it's been a long year for all of us. A long four years for me."

"More like seven!" One of his brothers shouts.

"Chiiiillll, Nate." Sean chuckles before he continues on; the crowd listens intently.

"Kyla.." Carmen whispers pleadingly; I ignore her. "Hadita, come on."

"Carmen, whatever you got to say, it can wait." I avert my eyes from the Sean to her. "Don't you see what's about to go down?" I whisper back harshly.

"Yea, I do, but I'm trying to fix whatever mess I'm in. We're supposed to be having fun and I'm sorry I ruined it for us." Her words are sincere, but I'm more frustrated with her now cause she's trying to deal with this during someone else's time.

"Carm, listen to me, your friend is about to get proposed to right now. At least show her the respect of pretending to care that she is and we'll deal with us later." I pat her arm like a scolding mother; she purses her lips in anger. I turn away before she can see the guilt I have on my face. I shouldn't have said it like that.

"F.Y.I.: I do care." She mumbles back as the crowd cheers along to Sean's ramblings.

"So, now that ya'll are fully fucked up and want to fuck, I'ma cut to the chase before you bring the Sandman out on my ass." Only some people laughed at that reference. What? Nobody remembers Showtime at The Apollo? "Chelsea, can you come up here with me, baby?" Every pair of eyes in the place turned to gaze at Chelsea. Needless to say, Chelsea was not feigning shock at the sudden attention. She quickly made her way up where Sean secured her an arm around her. "For those of ya'll that don't know and all ya'll in this should" Sean throws a threatening glare to the crowd before going back to his naturally friendly self. "this is my girlfriend of 4 years, Chelsea Lewis. Beautiful, isn't she?" A bunch of wolf whistles come from the crowd; including Ashley and Carmen as they reach over to high-five each other for having the same reaction.

"Ok. Alright. Settle down, you pervs. Anyways, she knows how important she is to me and how much of an ass" Chelsea does a fake cough which Sean rolls his eyes in fun. "and a man-whore I would still be if I didn't have her in my life. Behind every great man is a great woman." He grins lovingly at Chelsea; who returns the gesture."And behind every great woman..is a great man trying to get inside that woman." Chelsea jaw drops and she starts smacking his chest playfully as the crowd explodes in laughter. "Ashley was the one that gave me that line."

"Oh, don't bring me into this, Sean." Ashley shouts out in amusement.

"Alright, alright. Crude line aside. Chels, I can't express in words how much you mean to me. I can only show you in front of all these people." He gets down on one knee as Chelsea gasps from the revelation that this is really happening. Even though she knew it was happening; she still felt the vibe from everything that was occurring and nothing prepares you for something like this. "Four years ago on this very day, I asked you to be in a relationship with me." He looks out to crowd. "Yea, a lot of ya'll don't know about that, huh?" He turns back to Chelsea and looks into her eyes intensely. "I know people say that lightning doesn't strike twice. But, I believe it does with us." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a velvet box as the crowd starts to get excited. A bunch of 'ohhh shiiiit' and 'yeeeesssss, about time' are heard through the crowd.

"Can ya'll shut the fuck up for a second? Damn! I can't hear my heart beating out my chest! I'm nervous as shit up here!" Sean shrieks out to the masses; they all fall silent. He opens up the box to show a 1K Hexagonal-cut ruby gemstone surrounded by four other rubies. I remember Chelsea being so adamant in our World Economics class about the blood diamond epidemic happening around the world. She said she would never wear another single diamond again and I guess Sean listened. "So now, 4 years later….Chelsea Lewis, will you do me the honor of making me your husband and later on, your baby daddy?" He asks grinning like the Chestshire Cat.

"Oh my god, I can't believe he asked her like that." Spencer says in an astonished tone.

"That's your boy, A. Your boy." Carmen adds pointing up at Sean and Chelsea. Even though, she's trying to be funny, I see that she's really happy for her former roommate. Even Ashley has an unrecognizable glint in her eyes. I knew this would have some affect on him cause I'm almost to tears of joy. I'm so emotional.

"Shut up, C." She pushes Carmen playfully. Sean holds the mic up for Chelsea to answer and she's speechless for a moment or two before her grin matches his.

"Sean, you should already know the answer to that." She says snidely; he gives her an incredulous look.

"Woman, you better give me an answer. My knee is getting sore." Everybody breaks out into laughter; including Chelsea and Sean.

"Yes, yes, yes! Of course, yes, Sean, I'll marry you!" She screams out in exhilaration. He barely has time to put the ring on her finger before she jumps him and kisses him like there's no tomorrow. Sean is smiling like he just hit the lottery. I feel nothing but happiness for the two. Carmen eyes me nervously wondering if I'm thinking about anything that has to deal with the future, but I don't give her any sign to what my head is reeling in.

The music comes back on full force. Jagged Edge's 'Let's Get Married' though? At least, it's the remix. You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard this song. I hope they don't play it at their wedding; whenever that is. As they make their way through different people congratulating them, Carmen reluctantly pulls me to the side and just stares at me.

I turn away from her and catch a glimpse of Glen coming down with the girl he just screwed. I guess he lasted longer than anticipated cause the girl is all red and beaming. I turn back to Carmen with an aloof expression; I know she's waiting for me to start ranting on her. I usually do in this situation, but I'm not trying to show my ass off at an end of the year/engagement party.

"Look, I'm an ass, ok?" Carmen starts off; she fidgets with her bangs before continuing. "I didn't mean what I said. Not entirely anyways." She mumbles; more to herself than me.

"And what else is new?" I shoot back; her nostrils flare up for a second before her whole demeanor changes back to a calmer Carmen.

"What I'm trying to say is you're right about me." I look down for a moment. I was waiting for her to say sorry again, not admit that my assumptions were right. "I don't know what this summer holds for us cause I feel like that's the real test of our relationships; not just with my bestie and Spencer, but with me and you, too."

"You really think it's gonna be that difficult for us, Carmen?" I ask; my voice now more gentle. She makes an offhand gesture; darting her eyes away from me. "You need not to worry so much, baby." I touch her cheek and she leans into my hand. Damn, maybe I overreacted some. I mean it's not like I'm that angry as she must think, I'm more stubborn than anything..just like she is.

"This whole week has been a bit nerve wrecking for me. With Ashley, with Chels." She chuckles sadly. "Hell, even with Glen. But don't tell him I said that."

"Said what?" Glen pops up out of nowhere. Out my peripheral, I see the girl he was just with storm off outside. I guess she didn't make the cut.

"Nothing, twink. Just that you're not coming to Miami with us. No dicks allowed." Carmen says tartly; Glen's mouth drops open in disappointment. I slap Carmen's arm and she rolls her eyes. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But, you're not sharing a room with me and Kyla here."

"Pssh! Please, with my luck, I'll be sleeping in a different bed every night while I'm there." He grins triumphantly.

"So, with your luck, I guess that means you'll be sleeping in a different bed every night by yourself then." She counters with a fake smile. "Testing out new mattresses, maybe." Glen does the jerk-off motion' with his hand to get whatever point he has across. "Yea, exactly." She teases some more. Glen catches on after a few seconds and laughs.

"Alright, alright. That's enough you two." I scold them. "Glen, can you give us a minute alone, please?" He looks between me and Carmen; realizing he interrupted us.

"Sure thing, babe." He says to me mischievously; he gives me a quick peck on the cheek before running off so Carmen doesn't catch him.

"That little motherfu-" I stop her before she runs after him.

"You guys are the worst." I giggle; she glowers at me before joining in with me.

"He's just mad I have you, that's all."

"You do have me." I emphasize. "This means you are able to talk to me about anything, Carmen. Doubts and dreams." She holds her head down before I lift her chin back up to me. Her eyes lock with mine. I can tell she's apprehensive, but I meant what I said. "And I'll try not to be such a bitch about it myself cause I know it's difficult for you to open up to me about things."

"Thank you, _hadita_." Carmen does her lop-sided smile while I rub her cheek. She closes the gap between us and leans in to kiss me, but I pull back for a final thought.

"But, don't close up on me and start sidetracking me with other people's situations either. Deal?"

"Ok, ok. Got it." She utters out before leaning in for another kiss; I pull back again.

"Promise me." I state firmly; though, I am having a little fun prolonging the kiss.

"What?"

"You heard me." I raise an eyebrow.

"You're having way too much fun with this now." She pouts and stomps her foot; I say nothing in response. I just wait. 3..2..1. "Fine. Fuck it. I promise, aite? I promise."

"That's better." I lean in and capture her lips with my own. I grin into the kiss before deepening it. Her tongue instantly slips in; she's never been the one to waste time. I can never really withhold kisses from Carmen; I'm a fiend for hers just like she is for mine. It would've been nicer and longer if I didn't hear Glen yell out to us.

"Whipped!" Carmen thrust her middle finger at him; I hear Glen laugh even through the music.

Carmen rests her forehead against my own. "Can I please torture him? I won't kill him, my moms would miss me too much while I'm in the pen."

"No, baby. Not until after we toast, at least."

I lead the way over to our group with Carmen's arms wrapped around my waist. Chelsea is showing her ring off to Spencer while Sean and Ashley look like they're having a conversation about something. It must be serious if my sister has the Davies 'pensive posture'. Glen must've ran off again. It doesn't take us long to refill our drinks again before we're all holding up our red cups.

"Does anybody know what we should toast to?" Chelsea asks. "Let's have a toast for the douchebags." Sean sings.

"Let's have a toast for the assholes." Carmen follows up.

"Let's have a toast for the scumbags. Every one of them that I know." Ashley finishes it off as they all laugh at each other's clowning around. Ashley's line of course didn't sound as off-key as the other two.

"Ya'll are all such dorks." I state flatly.

"Trust me, they know." Chelsea chides.

"Seriously, guys, let's toast to something meaningful." Spencer speaks up; Ashley rubs her shoulder before clearing her throat. "A toast to Sean and Chelsea's marriage. May your future be bright and…all that yadda yadda." Sean nudges Ashley playfully.

"And a toast to fidelity cause Sean if you venture off to another woman, I'll cut your dick off, papi, without a question." Carmen affirms in a severe tone; then grins falsely. We all look at her like she's nuts, but Sean laughs it off with ease and nods his head in understanding.

"How bout just a toast to love?" Spencer suggests; the idea of her shacking up with my sister just reached the point of tooth-achingly sweet.

"To love!" We all say together. *CLINK*

"And to life!" I add; Carmen smiles at me before kissing my cheek. "To life!" We repeat. *CLINK*

"L'chaim!" Ashley shouts proudly.

"And to-"

"Alright, alright, enough with the toasts. Just drink the damn liquor already so we can all grind up on each other." Glen cuts Carmen off before downing his cup. Where does he keep coming from? "By the way, those toasts were uber-gay of you guys." He laughs his head off and walks into the dancing bodies. We all follow his lead and top our drinks off; baffled as all hell.

"How does he fucking do that? Just appear out of nowhere. Is he screwing Criss Angel now, too?" Carmen looks at me for answers, but I just shrug it off and pull her by the waist rather assertively.

"Shut up and dance with me, Ms. Sanchez." She shoots me her lop-sided smile that I adore so much.

"As you wish, Ms. Woods."

Carmen's POV

We pull up to Ashley's driveway; all of us stumble out at once. Except for Ashley; she somehow knows how to control her liquor. I'm not sure what they put in that punch they had, but I can barely taste any alcohol. I guess that's why we were knocking it back like it was Juicy Juice. Spencer and Ashley reach the door before us; I have both me and Kyla's shoes dangling from my fingers. I never could wear heels for very long.

"Ooh, Ash! Can we watch 'Beauty and the Beast' when we get settled in?" Spencer suggests; she arches her eyebrow for added effect. What? What kind of question is that? I exchange a look with Kyla who smirks knowingly. Ashley rolls her eyes in exaggeration before she puts on a sly smile.

"Sure, babe, whatever you like." I scoff at how easy my best friend gave in to Spencer's request.

"But, Ashley, you hate Disney movies." I point out; she shrugs and opens the door for us.

"Yeah, you think they make a bad representation of what women should dream of and become. Remember?" Kyla adds; trying to hold in her laughter.

"How bout you two mind your own fucking business?" She flashes us a fake grin.

"Night, ladies." Spencer slurs out before yanking Ashley in the house. Ashley flips us the bird before shutting the door on us.

"Jeez! She really has gone soft, hasn't she?" I take in; Kyla shakes her head in amusement.

"Not really. That's code for they're about to have sex." I furrow my eyebrows in shock.

"Seriously? They have codes now?" Why are they acting like they're married with kids?

"Yea, don't ask me why, but I guess it's so they won't corrupt my virgin little mind almost every single night." She remarks sarcastically. "That or it's code for certain type of sex; like bondage or something."

"Or bestiality." I tease.

"Well, I guess that would make Spencer the beast then cause she roars the loudest." She taps her finger in thought. "Not that I mind though; her moans are kinda melodious."

"Melodious? Really? You're getting off on your sister's girlfriend's moans."

"Nope. I only get off on yours." She gazes at me with warmth as I pull her closer in; I love the feeling that her body has on mines when I make contact. It feels like it's on fire, yet so at ease at the same time. I wonder if it will ever go away cause I sure as hell don't want it to.

"Likewise." I lick my lips before I aim for her collarbone. I trail kisses up her neck and I hear her breath get caught in her throat. "Let's say we watch the 'Little Mermaid' for the deep sea diving experience." I hint seductively in her ear. Even without looking, I feel her lips turn upwards in response.

"That sounds like a plan..." She closes in on my own lips, but stops before they even touch. "But, we're both on right now, so we should sleep it off." Goddamn tease!

"Oh come on, _hadita_. I just wanna return the favor from earlier." My hands slide down her back and I cup her ass in more ways than one. "Please, Kyla?" I move in for the kill and let our lips touch; I immediately deepen it cause I know if she feels the movement of my tongue; she'll want to feel it in other regions. "What do you say?"

"Mmm, I love it when you beg." Kyla confesses; her eyes close on me as we capture each other's lips again. I try to bite down on hers, but she pulls away too quick for me to. Damn. She opens the door widely, but blocks my path. I give her a confused look. "But.."

"But what?"

"But, I think we should end the night here and you should go home." She says with all seriousness. My mouth and my mood drops slightly from what she says.

"What? Why not?"

"Well, for one, we're drunk like I said before.."

"So? Nothing quite like inebriated intercourse." I wiggle my eyebrows to lighten the mood

"Ugh! Now, you sound like Glen." She stuck her tongue out in banter.

"Please don't compare me to him." I warn her.

"Nobody compares to you, Carmen." Kyla reassures me; she heaves out a sigh. "But, I'm still a little upset about earlier tonight; although part of me wants you to grant me multiple orgasms right now."

"That can be arranged if you let me cross the threshold of your humble abode, mi lady." I bow for emphasis; she tries to keep a poker face, but doesn't succeed.

"Carm, forreal. Don't make it harder than it already is." Now, it's my turn to sigh. "I don't want my little head making decisions when my big head is still mad at you in some way." So, I guess this is punishment then. Dammit, I said I was sorry. She's getting me back where it counts. Sex.

"Fine, have it your way then." I pout and cross my arms; she comes up and wipes the pout off of my lips by biting them. I let out a small yelp before she presses her lips on mine. I try to deepen it again, but she pulls back. *cue teeth-sucking*

"I promise I'll make it up to you." She whispers on my lips. I love how she can go aggressive to endearing in seconds flat.

"You better." I warn mischievously. She lets go and backs up to close the door. "Goodnight, Carm."

"Sweet dreams." I wave weakly before the door shuts on me. I walk down the driveway and halfway down the block. I reach into my clutch to pull out my car keys and-SHIT! I completely forgot that Kyla picked me up today. I start walking back to their house before an idea hits me. I take out my phone and dial a number.

"Whoever this is better be dying or I'm goin off on a bitch." A deep, groggy voice threatens. Ugh! I forgot how mannish it sounds when she's asleep or just waking up.

"Keys, it's me, C."

"I know who the fuck it is." She retorts. "You're the only one dumb enough to call me when I'm asleep."

"How was I suppose to know that?"

"Cause I told you when you asked if I was goin to the party, I said I'm spending the night in with my boo. It's way after _Maghrib_, hoe." Huh?

"And I'm suppose to know what that word means because.."

"It means you calling me late as shit. What favor do you want now?" She snaps out of irritation.

"Come pick me up. Please."

"Ha! You must be high, Chi-Chi."

"No, I've been drinking-"

"So was G.C. but he's already home here and passed the hell out on the couch. Bucket and all; just in case.

"How did he get there so fast? Did he apparate?" Seriously, he was still there when we left.

"Appa-what?"

"Nevermind. I'm showing my nerd right now." I roll my eyes at myself.

"Marquita, tell Carmen that she has about 30 seconds to get off the phone or I'll go off on her AND you. _Wallahi_." I hear Zahra grumble angrily.

"I'm sorry, _habibti_." She apologizes tenderly; her voice sounding more feminine..or emasculated. Take your pick.

"Way to be a doting housewife there, Keys."

"Hey, I'm a 'studsband', Chi-Chi." She corrects me.

"Sure you are."

"Just for that, I'm definitely not picking you up now."

"Come on, everybody in the Davies' house is twisted right now, so I can't get a ride from them."

"Then, have a sleepover with Kyla then."

"She-she won't let me." I answer in embarrassment; Keys snorts in response.

"Then, I suggest you smooth-talk your way into her bed like you have every other girl then." She teases. "Cause I'm definitely not getting outta bed right now; not when I have my beautiful, naked woman right beside me."

"Whoa! Zahra sleeps naked? Ramadan must be torture for you, mami."

"Uhh.."

"Marquita!" Zahra shouts. There's a scuffle on the phone, then "Good night, Carmen. Keys is getting off now."

"By getting off, do you mean-" My screen lights up and I realize I just got banged on. I just had to say that, didn't I? I send a quick text to Kyla saying I don't have a ride back home, so now I have to stay over. She must've forgotten about it, too. She sends me another text telling me to meet her at the door. Yes! It's about to go down. I jog back over as soon as she opens the door.

"I'm sorry, Carmen. It totally slipped my mind that I drove you overhere."

"It's ok, I called Keys, but she-" I trail off once I rake over what she's now wearing which is basically her crimson lace bra and panty set that I love so much on her. _Oshun_, you testing my control, aren't you? "Is you fucking serious right now?"

"What?" My eyes lock with hers before they skim her body once more. I suddenly lick my lips because they are dry..I guess the moisture went somewhere else. "You caught me while I was changing out of my clothes."

"You are sooo trying me right now, aren't you?" I narrow my eyes in sorrow; she flips her hair in response.

"Well...maybe a little." She replies cheekily before handing me 40 dollars. "That should cover it."

"Cover what?" I ask; my gaze now focused on the apex of her thighs.

"Your cab fare home." She grins devilishly; my eyes bug out.

"Don't play with my emotions like that, _hadita_. Let me sleep here for the night." She just shakes that beautiful head of hers which ruffles her hair some; sex on a doorstep. "I know you don't trust me, but I'll be on my best behavior." I smile sweetly. Lies, fairytales and fallacies.

"It's not that I don't trust you." She looks down for a moment before giving me her sexy look. You know the one where you have the bashful look, but bite your bottom lip as if you seem something tasty. "I don't trust myself with you at this moment." I copy her lip move. Damn, damn, DAMN!

"I'm so over this night." I say more to myself than her.

"We'll see each other tomorrow." She guarantees me. "Until then, this…" She does a full spin and a groan escapes from me. No, no! Don't look at her ass. Get it together! Unf! "..will give you something to think of when you finally get home." She shuts the door on me for the second time tonight just when the cab pulls up. Oh, she definitely set this shit up. I'm not trying to hear anything otherwise.

"Thanks." I call out cynically before jumping in the cab; gradually letting my lust subside. I wonder if Sean and Chelsea are gonna suffer this blue ball shit in their marriage cause if me and Kyla were married, it'd be practical-Wai! Hold up! What? What the fuck, brain? Don't start with me now, too! I must be either sobering up or still on one, but that thought shouldn't have even crossed my mind. I shake my head to get it out and focus on anything, but Kyla; which is quite hard considering what I just saw her in. Fuck!

I make it home in one piece. With a clear head and little arousal, I might add. I see that kitchen light is still on which means mom must've left a plate for me or she's up in the middle of the night. It's been happening a lot lately; I would wake up and see her just sitting there with a cup of coffee; sometimes a Corona. The alcohol worries me more cause my mom rarely drinks. I set my stuff down near the door and walk in the kitchen.

"Mama?" She's sitting at the table in a daze; just staring at the wall where there's a picture of me and her. The ones of my brothers are there, but ours is the biggest. The kitchen has always been our place of sanctity. "Mom!" I say a little louder for her to acknowledge me.

"Carmenita!" Her eyes are bewildered for a second, then gives me a small smile. "I didn't realize you were home. I thought you would be staying over Kyla and Ashley's."

"Change of plans, I guess." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly before I sit down with her. "What are you doing up so late?" She taps on her cup in response like that was some justifiable answer.

"How was the party?" She asks pleasantly.

"Fine. Sean and Chels are gonna be jumping the broom."

"¿_De veras?"_

"_En serio." _ I reply excitedly. Ok, I'll admit that them getting together was due time and their relationship has always given me optimism in this crazy thing called LOVE. I hope their's isn't full of infidelity like my parents or lose passion like Ashley's. I hope they work. I want them to work…I need them to work.

"Well, that's excellent news." She flashes a genuine grin. "Chelsea is a very kind, intelligent and beautiful woman. Almost wished she was into women for you, but…you wouldn't have known how to appreciate something like that." My mom takes a sip of her coffee to hide her giggle.

"I've learned now, haven't I?" I defend jokingly. "Kyla fits all those descriptions and then some." My mind imagines her face and I smile unexpectedly..until I feel my cheeks heat up. The image of what I just saw less than an hour ago still clear in my mind.

"I know, nena, I know. I was just teasing you." Her cup is almost empty, so she makes her way for a refill. "Do you want some coffee?" I study my mom for a second. Her carefree tone is still there, but her body movements show that there's something wrong. Her hands shake some while she's pouring from the pot.

"Sure." I answer automatically; keeping my eyes fixated on her form. "How was your night, mom?" I ask with concern as soon as she sits back down with our cups. "Did you go out with Craig at all?"

My mom heaves a sigh. "We were supposed to, but.."

"Did that douche cancel on you?" This might or might not come to a surprise, but I'm particular about who my mom dates ever since she divorced my pops. And this Craig guy has lasted the longest since we been here and it would be shame if he stopped treating her like the Queen she is. Otherwise, he'll have to deal with me, her knight. Never been a princess.

"No, Carmen, he didn't." She takes a tentative sip. "I did. I…I had some things to think about; business to take care of."

"Oh…" I let the word hang; hoping my mom would explain further. She doesn't. We sit in silence for a few minutes; sipping our coffee. We look like twins. _"¿Que te pica, mama?_ Is there something wrong?" My voice comes out timid. I feel like a small child asking my mother this; as if I'm not old enough for the answer.

"_Se depende._"

"Depends on what?" She stays silent again; her eyes dart to the empty chair. "Mom.."

"I just don't want you overreacting, Carmenita. This..it's hard for me. ¿Entiendes?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask anxiously; she takes a deep breath. Without wanting to, my thoughts begin to race with different possibilities as to why my mom is acting like this. "Did Craig ask you to move in together?"

"What?" My mom has a stunned look on her face. "Nena, that's-"

"Cause I rather not live here if that's the case. I'll give you your space, mom and get a place with some friends again." I don't care.

"Carmen, that's not happening. We haven't even discussed anything like that. There's still a lot to discover about each other."

"That's good." I chuckle a little. "As long as it has nothing to do with papi, I'm fine." My mother looks away from again. "Oh my God, this is about, papi, isn't it? Did he die? Is he hurt?" My voice a slight panic. Even though, I fuckin detest that man, I never wish ill on him. "Are my brothers ok?"

"Carmen!" My mom slaps her hand on the table to stop my rambling. "Your father and your brothers are alive and well."

"Thank God!" I down half my coffee before another thought creeps into my mind. Oh, fuck no! "Wait! Please don't tell me that he's trying to sneak his way back into our family." My voice tinged with disgust.

"WE are a family." She asserts with authority. "Whomever has my blood is my family. Not your papi."

"Well, he doesn't deserve us or our love anyway. Especially yours." I hold her free hand for comfort and she snorts dismissively.

"Please! That man couldn't get me get back if he had a gold _lengua_ and a diamond _pinga_." Did that just come out of her mouth? Pause!

"Ewwww, mom. That's nasty. I did not need to hear that." She chuckles at me shuddering. We sit in contentment until my mom clears her throat.

"He was my second choice; your father." She admits sadly.

"Second choice?" She nods her head for confirmation. "I thought you and papi were college sweethearts."

"Not exactly." I guess that's another lie my father fabricated; I roll my eyes. "There was someone before him. Miguel Rivera. Your papi and him fought over me.

"Go ahead, mom." I grin smugly. "All the dudes wanted your goodies, huh?" She shot me an irritated look. "Sorry."

"Anyways, to make a long story short, your abuela didn't approve of Miguel and wanted me to marry your dad instead. I strung both of them along as long as I could cause..I honestly didn't know who I wanted to be with. I loved them both." I see tears start to form in her eyes; I start to feel bad for my mom, but a nagging part of me is wondering why she's even telling me this.

"You always told me that you can't be in love with two people at once." I remind her.

"I know. I loved your father, but I was in love with Miguel Rivera."

"Then, why-"

"Because he wouldn't be able to support me; your dad could with his…finances. He had habits; every man does." She says curtly; answering the question that she knew would come out.

"So, he was a cheater like papi." I assume.

"No…his vice was _cocaina._" My mouth drops in shock. Didn't see that one coming. My mom doesn't condone drugs at all; so for her to admit that she was in love with 'him'..just wow. "That was his only issue. Your papi was a flirt with other women and a heavy drinker…while he worshipped me..and that drug."

"Did he ever get help?"

"He did sober up enough when he found out..." My mom reached under the table where the empty chair is and pulled out an old shoebox.

"Found out what?"

She pushed the old shoebox in my direction. "Open it." I look at the box, then back at my mom who's silently crying. I lift the lid while she wipes her face with a tissue. "I don't know any other way to tell you this than to show you."

I peer inside and see a bunch of pictures and letters; some of them are unopened with a return stamp on it. "What is all this?" I pick up a picture in particular and see a man in his early 20s with a toddler in his arms. They both are the same cinnamon color and have the same black curly hair, but the eyes, nose and lips are different. "Is this why he stopped?" My mother doesn't do anything, but nods. She's a pretty little thing, but it's something about her features that makes me uneasy. "This is his daughter, right?"

"Yes, that's Naya…" My mom whispers; she holds herself to gain her bearings before I hear her utter out "That's his and my daughter, Carmen." The picture falls out of my hands like it's fire. I stand up and back away from the table when my mom tries to reach out to me.

"Wha-What did you just say?" What the fuck is going on right now?

"_Tienes una hermana_, Carmen." She croaks out before bowling into her hands.

"What do you mean 'I have a sister'?" My voice rising. I shake my head frantically in denial. "You said you were already married to papi when you were pregnant with me. So, how-?"

"It was while we were engaged." She states plainly; I go back to the table. "That's when I was pregnant with her. Your father might be a lot of things, but he wasn't stupid. He knew whose baby it was even before I was showing and he told my mother everything. That I was still seeing him behind his back." I stare at my mom like she's a completely different woman…basically cause she is. I really don't know what to think of her at this moment. "I wasn't though. I ended it with him as soon as your papi proposed to me; it wasn't fair to either them. That's when I realized I was having Naya." My mom sits down again; her body a bit more relaxed. I side-eye at the name. An 'N' name. That's just great. "Your abuela was…well..

"¿_Enojada_ _como mierda?_" I fill in tersely; my mother nods her head to confirm. I never did like my grams. Bat-shit crazy, she is.

"She called me some very unflattering names and made me feel guilty about having a baby out of wedlock. You know how old school Catholic she is." She gazes at me for a moment before continuing. "Your papi told me to have the baby cause he doesn't believe in abortion." That's not a surprise considering how many kids he has outside of their marriage. "But he said he wouldn't raise another man's baby. That I should let my _chio_ have her. My mother agreed with him. It was 2 against 1." She rubs her forehead as if to erase the painful memory. "As soon as I gave birth to her, I only had her for a few days before Miguel took her and headed back to Miami. He said his mom would help him raise her." She pauses to blow her nose. "From then on, I had you and your brothers; your father told me to keep my mouth shut and so did my mother. They don't even mention her name; but there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about Naya."

She has a distant stare plastered on her face before fixing her eyes on me. I glare back at her like she's a stranger. "Carmen, I know this is a lot to take in, but please say something…" She pleads with watery eyes. I walk over to the box and rummage through the pictures; flash of my mom holding her while she's in the hospital.

"How many months is she older than me?" I ask hoarsely. I see a picture of when she's older; around 7. I don't want to, but I see the resemblance her and I. She looks more like my mom than I do. My annoyance is starting to show.

"11."

"Does she know about me? About my brothers?" I fire off at her snappishly.

"Yes." But we don't know about her though? What type of shit is that? "But only cause Miguel told her."

"Does she still live in Miami with her father?" I stop on another picture where it's my mom's lover and his daughter; now in her adolescence That's right. I refuse to call her my sister.

"Yes, she does. But, her father died when she was 15." I frown at this, but immediately kick myself for pitying the chick. He was the other guy.

"Drug overdose." I state fixedly; without a doubt. My mom shakes her head in negation. Hmm, I guess it was a broken heart then. I never knew my mom could be such a man-eater.

"Brain cancer." I pick up the many un-opened letters and held them up for answers. "I wrote out checks for her every month, but after her father died, she stopped accepting them. That's why they're unopened."

"She hates you, doesn't she?" The tone that I used just now sounds so much like my own father. It's so..self-righteous, but in an asshole way.

"I haven't been her biggest fan in the past 6-7 years; so she probably does." My mom answers honestly. "Carmen, I know I have done some terrible things. I was young, naïve and thought that everything would work out, but.." I snap my head in her direction.

"But what, mom? Huh?" I yell out. Now, my eyes are beginning to tear. The situation finally taking its toll on me. I have a fucking sister. A sister who I know nothing about.

"But.." She steadies her voice before speaking. I see the fear in her eyes; I must look like my pops right now. Gray eyes blazing and shit. Fuck, this is so messed up. "I was wrong."

"Well, no shit." I scoff.

"Carmen, I don't regret my choices. I never have. Miguel gave me Naya and your father gave me you and your brothers. You are all my blessings from Yemaya. It's-" She abruptly stops when I throw the box and all its contents on the floor. Now, it's her turn to look at me like I'm a stranger.

"Are you fucking joking right now, mom?" I shout which startles my mother out of her seat. "You think these are blessings. These are fuck-ups. Just like dad's bastard kids; that's what Naya is." My chest heaves and my face is full-on crimson before I realize what I say next will get me in trouble. "The only difference is you're the two-timing slut this time." Holy shit, I did not just say that.

That woke my mom out of her shocked state because she took one gigantic step and bitch-slapped me across my face. My knees almost give out from the impact. Fuck; she's furious. "Let's get a few things straight here, little girl." She grabs me forcefully by my chin. "You do not fucking talk to me like that. I am your mother. I gave birth to you and I can take you out. Your father fornicated again and again while we were married; I don't know how many kids he really has and you call me the slut for having one daughter who I have taken care of as best as I could? Huh?" Her eyes are black as coal; her face an unreadable expression.

"Mom, _sueltame_."

"No." She continues; grip still firm. "Not until you realize that your father was the one who forbid me to see her; your abuela, too. Not until you realize that there are times I have cried at night because of this whole situation. Wishing, it was different..but it's not." She softens her grip on my chin. "That's the way life is. I come from a judgmental family, Carmen. You already know that. Have I ever dishonored you for your sexuality; for how you have treated women?" I think about it for a moment; already knowing she was right. She never made me feel like I was less than her child for being who I am and how I lived my life.

"No." I say shamefully. She lets go of me and backs up to give me breathing room. She shakes her head sadly.

"So, why do that to me? Why disrespect me when I have supported you in whatever way i could?" She asks vulnerably.

"Mom….I'm sorry." I hang down. "This is all so much."

"She may have a different father, but she is your sister. She comes from the same womb as you and I need your support, _mija_. Please.." We stare in each other's eyes, but stay unvoiced. Pictures scattered all over the floor; one of Naya all by herself.

"What do you want from me, mom?" I say brokenly. What could she possibly want from me that I can fulfill?

"I want a second chance with her, nena." I cut my eyes at her in puzzlement. "Her abuela has been keeping me posted on her the past 3 years and she's said her behavior has changed drastically; hanging with the wrong crowd. And-"

"And what? She's 22, right? Not 16. She's a grown-ass woman." I interrupt her; she arches her eyebrow as if to say I'm testing her patience. I shut up instantly.

"The bottom line is I want to know what's going on with her and maybe it would help while you're down in Miami next week that you and her-" My eyes widen before she can even finish her idea. Is she forreal?

"Fuck that!" I walk towards the hallway to grab my keys and a set of kicks. My mom is fast on my tail trying to stop me from leaving.

"Carmen, wait." She grabs my arm, but I yank it away from her.

"No, mom, what the fuck you take me for? You want me to spend my birthday week with my crew looking for your daughter? Who I just found out about tonight?" I laugh bitterly. "You gotta be shittin me. I'm not doing your damage control."

"Carmen!" She shouts to get my attention before I walk out. "I wasn't telling you to do anything. I'm just asking if you could..for me." I clench my jaw in response. "Remember, we're blood which means we're family." I roll my eyes at her reasoning; blood relation only means so much to me.

"I can't do this right now, mama. I…" Before I say anything crass, I bite my tongue and slam the door shut; hoping it shakes the whole foundation. I hop in my jeep and just drive; not really knowing my destination.

"_Pero tu lo amas que no te valorizo _

_Cuando con un beso te hechizo._

_Que solo te utilizo._

_Y hasta te embarazao."_

"_Pobre diabla. Se dice que te ha visto por la calle vagando._" I sing along with fervor; tapping my fingers hard on my steering wheel. I've been driving for I don't know how long. I've just been driving to keep myself busy, but it's not working. Again, this is some utter bullshit. "_Llorando por un hombre que no vale un centavo. __Pobre diabla, llora por un pobre diablo._" My anger starts to boil again; the damn IPod is on shuffle. I grab it and switch the song to 'Shot Callers' instead.

"Un-fucking-believable." I say to myself. My brain is going 100 miles a minute. Too many emotions running through them; anger, betrayal, shame, pity. The list goes on. I mean how can my mom not tell me about this? Why wait so long? Why tell only me? Why not fucking stand up for herself when she did have the baby? Just 'Why?'

I finally park my jeep. Somehow I ended at the beach. One where Ashley took me when I first moved here; I never seen a beach like this. Kind of our secret hang-out when we were younger.I lay a blanket down and take a gulp of my half-empty Grey Goose bottle that I keep in my jeep. Just for spontaneous reasons. I take another gulp and chuckle some at a little thought; I was never used to the grayness of the Jersey shore water. The waves are so much better here; pretty much everything is better here. It was a new start for me and my mom; new friendship; new experiences…like love. Now, it seems spoiled with this news. I lay back and look at the constellations; kind of a nerd habit I have. Sleep overcomes before I'm able to locate Ursa Major.

I wake up to sand being kicked on me. I groan at the itchy feeling and rise up. My eyesight hasn't come into focus yet, but I see a female figure blocking the sun.

"Thought I find you here." Ashley says amusingly. I rub my eyes to see her better and see that her tone doesn't match her expression. It's one of worry which means my mom must've called her. "You look like shit." She adds before sitting down with me. I'm pretty sure; no one looks good after a tumultuous night. Tomato face, blood-shot eyes and disheveled hair is my style right now.

"I feel like it, too. But, I guess you already knew that." I reply sardonically.

"Here." She holds out her hands which have a pair of shades, a pill bottle and Fiji water. I thank her silently and put on the aviators to cover the brightness. My head is thumping like dubstep right now. "Sunglasses and Advil." She states while I open up the pill bottle.

I graciously take it. "Last night was mad real." I finish the sentence dryly while taking a swig of the water.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asks after a few minutes go by with us gazing out to the ocean. I look down; I'm not sure I wanna talk about it. "You know you don't have to. We can just…be."

"Where's Spencer and Kyla at?" I ask to change the subject; she frowns a little.

"Spencer is still asleep. I left a note for her. Kyla was already up doing Yoga." My heart thumps a little; Ashley sees my reaction. "I didn't tell her where I was going; just that I had a couple errands." She adds quickly; that calms me down.

"How much did my mother tell you?" I finally ask. Ashley purses her lips before answering.

"Everything." She replies with compassion. "How are you taking it?"

"Pfft! How would you take it if you found out you had a sis-" I stop in mid-sentence; realizing that I'm about to sound like an idiot and a jerk to my best friend.

"Yeeeaaaah." She draws out jokingly. "I thought you would stop yourself."

"You know what I mean though."

"Yea, I know.." She exhales deeply and turns to me. "Carmen, I know it's a lot to take in and you have a right to be upset."

"But?" I know she's not done with what's she gonna say.

"You should also see it from your mom's point of view. All those years, it must've been torture for her and now more than ever, she needs you."

"So, you're taking her side then. Nice." I look away from my best friend in annoyance.

"No, I'm doing what a friend does. I'm being here for you. But, I wouldn't be a best friend if I didn't tell you that you're being a bit of a baby right now." I whip my head back in her direction. I know she didn't just play me.

"Is you serious right now?" I fold my arms in defense.

"Yes." She pauses for a moment to find her words. "C, I love your mom; even more so than my own, but I know you see your mom differently than I do." I say nothing, but her continue. "You see her as a saint." I huff in disagreement. "She's not, Carmen. She's human just like us. She makes mistakes or wrong choices; whichever way you wanna put it."

"I know that."

"Do you? Or do you see her as something less now?" I sulk at her questioning.

"I'm not proud of myself for what I said, A. I know it was nerve wrecking as shit for her, ok? It's just she's not the only one that it's hard for."

"I understand. Believe me, I do." She puts her arm around me for support. "But, you have me to help you through it. Whether you decide to meet her or not is up to you, but I think you should. Your mom let you know about this for a reason now." She finishes on a serious note.

"Yea, but what's that reason. I don't even know."

"Well, maybe you would've if you didn't run out and threw a hissy fit with the picture box." I cut my eyes at her and she shrugs. "Just sayin."

"Yea, I know." We sit in silence for a few more minutes while my brain simmers. "What if I did want to meet her?" Ashley stares at me with questioning eyes. "I mean I wouldn't be much of a daughter if I didn't at least check her out."

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than me, Carm." She points out; I roll my eyes. "Curious, maybe?"

"I just need to see if my mom should be even dealing with her like..she could be a total bitch."

"What you need to do is sit down with your mom and talk the rest of this shit out. Yea, she could be. But, I'm pretty sure your mom would accept her as she is cause she's blood."

"Blood doesn't fucking matter to me, Ash. You're like a sister to me. You're my family." I state firmly.

"If that's the case, should you be dating Kyla then? That's like incest." I throw her arm off of me in jest; we do a full-on laugh that was long overdue. "Like I said, C, I got your back." I smile at our loyalty.

"Womb to tomb?" I hold out my hand for her to shake; she grins knowingly.

"Birth to earth!" Ashley grasps my hand and gives it a firm shake.

"We are so gay right now quoting West Side Story." I giggle.

"Hey! It's a classic musical though." I shrug in agreement. We gaze back out to the waves before she speaks up again. "Speaking of music. Sean..uhm..well he offered.."

I hold up my hand. "Relax, A. I already know about it. Chels filled me in some and let me be the first to say I think you should go for it." I grin broadly.

"Really?"

"Hell yeah! Ya'll would make an awesome team." I rub her shoulder reassuringly. I'm not that much of an ass to realize when I need to be the comforter instead of the comforted.

"I don't know, C. I mean yeah, I believe I can flip this music industry upside down, but…it's a lot of work." She replies shakily; she bites her bottom lip in thought.

"So? You're not the lazy type anyway. That's more my thing."

"That and eating up all the damn food in my house." She remarks snidely. Speaking of which, I'm hungry.

"What's the main issue you have with it?" I ask suddenly; she heaves out a sigh and looks back out to the ocean.

"That I'll end up like my dad and not have time for anyone…my wife..my family. That I'll get too engrossed in the fame and not wanna get out of it. That I'll crash and burn. So many things could go wrong, you know?" I look at Ashley and for a split second, she looks like the somewhat shy, unsure girl that I met when I moved here. "I wanna make sure I can balance everything out and not lose myself while I'm at it."

"It's baby steps, Ashley. That's all it is." She nods to herself; she's still in her own head. "If you're really interested talk about it with your sister first, then your girl. I'm sure they'll both support you. Just like I would." I see her Davies smile start to form and she brings me into a suffocating hug.

"I'm glad we're friends." She whispers and I grin happily.

"I'm glad we had an awkward-ass hook-up that made us realize we're better off as friends." I pat her back and she pushes me away playfully.

"Bitch."

"Love you." I kiss her cheek and she wipes it off jokingly.

"Fuck you too." She laughs.

"Whatever. We wouldn't want your 'wife' to get mad."

"Huh?" She asks puzzled.

"You said 'wife' earlier, remember?" Her mouth opens, but closes it shut. Haha! Ashley's blushing.

"I meant future wife..waaay into the future."

"Yeah, sure." I flag her off. get up, gather our stuff and start making our way back to our individual cars. I grunt at how things can change so drastically. I guess there's no way to handle it, but to get used to it. "It is kinda funny that just the beginning of this year we were tits-deep in chocha."

"Yeah, underage chocha." Ashley reminds me. "But I feel you. We have girlfriends now."

"And we're in love and shit." I add with mock-loathing. I'm totally lying. I feel so…alive with Kyla. I'm pretty sure Ashley feels how I feel, too, if not greater.

"And we have friends that are engaged now." She notes.

"Not to mention friends that are shacking up with their partners." I literally point out with a knowing smirk.

"Would you change it?" She asks in a light-hearted tone.

I rub my chin pensively before breaking out into a grin. "Naaaah." Ashley shares my grin.

"Me neither." A beep goes off on Ashley's phone as she reads the text. "Apparently, there's about to be a breakfast bash at my house." Her face contorts into confusion. "Sausage and bacon on that, hoe? Put some eggs in the mix? Pancakes to set if off? Finish with dat OJ, bitch?" I bust out laughing. "Who the hell wrote this? I know Spencer didn't write this. This must've been forwarded to her."

"Probably Glen. I guess him and Keys are bringing the food, Ash."

"They're up this early? Wasn't Glen was tore up last night."

"Well, Keys has been trying not to eat around Zah as much as possible since she's fasting. Especially, anything with pork. Glen probably needs something to soak up the liquor." She waves off their logics.

"Whatever. You down?" She should know the answer to that already.

"Fuck yeah! _Ya tu sabes_." The last 24 hours has done something to my stomach; I'm famished.

"Ugh! It's too early for me to use my Google Translate app, Carm." Ashley chuckles as I throw my middle finger up. "Come on and let's go home. Try to keep up with me." She shoots me a wink, then zooms off. Keep up, she says.

I throw my things in the back and start my jeep. Switching to a Rye-Rye tune to get me going; Kyla put me on to her. My lil B-More baby. Gah! I'm such a damn sap now. I hope she lets me finish what we didn't start, but I wanted to start because she finished me off…you dig me? I hope so cause that almost didn't make sense to me even.

Though, I'm still mad with my mom, I know I gotta talk to her sooner or later. I vote for later. This new…'sister' of mines makes things complicated, but maybe Ash is right; it may not be a disaster. Hell, I still have my own version of _familia_.

That include Ashley, of course, Kyla for more than one reason, Spencer because of Ashley; which automatically means Glen..he's like the immature, pervy cousin. I can't forget Keys, too; she's the youthful aunt with connections though. My phone buzzes and it's a text from Keys; speak of the she-devil.

'_Chi-Chi, I heard you and Kyla was fuckin at the party and got trapped in the closet! Oh my god! A rubber! Rubber! *in my R. Kelly voice* CTFU!'_

I side-eye that entire text before pulling off to Ashley's.

Ahh, family.

* * *

**Fin.**

**I hope that was a smooth enough ending that will lead into a sequel. I want it to be open-ended, but definitely not a cliffhanger. Anyways, thank you all so very much for reading, reviewing, alerting, PMing my very first story. I'm in like with you all. I hope through time & effort, I'll become a better writer. **

**Almost forgot. Sidenotes: ****1.**** Pretty Little Liars is back on! Yaaay! I'm still not over Maya being dead tho. *thug tears*, and I don't trust this Nate dude that much; bet money that's not even Maya's cuzn. Mona lookin good when she's loony gets me through my pain. That and Jenna's eyes. YUM! ****2.**** Teen Wolf, anyone? I'm so glad they got a female werewolf and a werewolf of color. Jackson is that lizard thing tho? I knew it. I'm pretty sure there's more than one. Also, is Bianca Lawson on everything mystery/supernatural now? ****3.**** True Blood was all over the place (as usual), but the new character Nora..I'm not sure how to feel about her just yet. Tara being a vampire is definitely more appealing. I wanna see what they do with her storyline. I also like the Vampire mythology they have on this season. ****4.**** I saw Snow White and the Huntsman. It was..what I expected *shrug* Anybody else see it? ****5.**** I'm mad I'm so on these Faberry fanfics, I'm late as shit with this fandom. There's a few that piqued my interest heavy. Thank the Gods for my fanfiction reader app. ****6.**** Do I have any Game of Thrones viewers? I just got addicted to this madness, but I love it. Even if all the different houses do get confusing sometimes. The Khaleesi is so..UNF! and Arya Stark is so badass. ****7.**** Santogold's new album. Me gusta! Go take a listen; especially to 'God From The Machine'. ****8.**** I'm actually going to the Caribbean during July or August, I believe. However, my family hasn't decided whether we should go to Puerto Rico or Dominican Republic though. Any suggestions? ****9****. I'm mad at myself for watching both Mob Wives Chicago and Love & Hip-Hip: Atlanta like what am I doing with my life? ****11.**** Shoutout to the HBO show 'Girls' for giving me life when it comes to humor. ****12.**** If decides to take any of my shit down (i.e. this story or future stories); I'll put it on my tumblr first; maybe livejournal, too. My info is in my bio. ****13.**** No sidenote here; this is just my favorite number. Lol!**

**I'll see you when I see you, folks. Enjoy your summer. Take Care!**

**Songs used: Pretty Lil Heart by Robin Thicke ft. Lil Wayne; You See Me by Childish Gambino; Pobre Diabla by Don Omar**

**Spanish translation: **_**Pero tu lo amas que no te valorizo cuando con un beso te hechizo-**_** But you love him; someone that has never valued you. When with a kiss, he casts a spell on you. **_**Que solo te utilizo y hasta te empregao- **_**Someone that has used you up and has even impregnated you. **

_**Pobre diabla, se dice que te ha visto por la calle vagando**_**- Poor lady, they say that they've seen you wander around in the street. **_**Llorando por un hombre que no vale un centavo- **_**Crying over a man that's not worth a dime. **_**Pobre diabla, llora por un pobre diablo- **_**Poor lady, crying over this worthless dude.**


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